Never Saw that Coming
by Speklez
Summary: "Don't you understand? He'll die if you don't!" She just shrugged a shoulder at her, "I understand perfectly. What you seem to fail to understand is just how little I care. What happens to him is not in any way my problem." NC/AU. Peter's POV unless otherwise stated. Rated for Language
1. Chapter 1

Words caressed my mind telling me of things to come though they didn't feel it important enough to tell me the down and dirty details that I really wanted to know. Fuckers. As it stood though, I was bestowed with enough to know that I needed to get my ass in gear and up north quick, fast and in a fucking hurry. It told me the exact location I was to be at and the precise moment I had to be there, but not what I was running into or what I needed to be ready for.

I, however, have been dealing with this cryptic ass bullshit long enough to know when I could ignore them and when it was necessary to listen like a good little bitch. If my sire thought this shit was annoying, he really had no idea. So, without thought, I was out the door and charging headlong into the unknown like a fucking moron.

The voices in my head never put me in overly dangerous situations that I wasn't able to get out with a little common fucking sense. I had a theory that they didn't want to die either, so I wasn't overly worried. They were also good for getting out of situations I found myself in by not paying attention, telling me I was probably right.

Human mental issues didn't have SHIT on me.

So, for two days I ran nonstop from my out of the way little piece of paradise into what could only be described as human hell. I couldn't actually feel the temperature of the air, but even MY breath was visible and I run a frosty, but normal, 37 degrees; colder than humans and only slightly warmer than a block of ice. Perfect health for my kind. However, if my icy cool breaths could be seen on the still air, it was fucking cold.

I gave the area a once over and recognized the place nearly immediately. I have house 25 miles south from here. What in the name off all fuck was I doing here and not there? On more than one occasion I have gotten the feelings and whispers to relocate to different residence I owned, but it was TO the residence, not in the general vicinity.

The tundra of northern Canada was a really nice place for my kind. Since no humans ever ventured up this far, we were literally free to do whatever the fuck we wanted, up to and including, running stark fucking naked across the snow and no one would ever know. I know this since I embrace my inner nudist as often as I can. I am a firm believer that clothing is always optional, no matter where you are or in what company.

A fact that my brother's current distraction loathes with every fiber of her makeup.

Since I know that I was there for a reason, I gave the area a once moreover, trying to figure out what the fuck I was there for. I couldn't sense a fucking thing close to me and the blizzard was throwing off my sight. As good as my eyes are, nothing but white that flows and dances in no particular pattern fucks up my perception and throws me for a confused loop. I wasn't quite where my ultimate destination was yet but as of the moment, I saw no reason to be here.

Since I couldn't rely on my vampiric abilities to figure this out, I was stuck going as a snail's pace as I closed the distance on my final destination. My eyes darted every which way taking in everything I could see as I took one slow step at a time, pausing here and there to strain my hearing for the tiniest sound I could pick up in the howling wind.

It was on one of these pauses that I heard it, barely audible over the whistles of the wind and trees. It was no louder than the flutter of a humming bird's wings but I knew EXACTLY what it was. What it was doing out here I had no fucking clue, but I KNEW beyond doubt that someone fucked up in a BIG way. Not only had the little son of a bitch hunted in what could be considered my territory, but they didn't even make sure the fucker was dead dead before moving on, leaving the newborn to wake up on their own in the middle of no fucking where with no parental supervision. With a slight growl, I decided to figure that part of this situation out later. First order of business was to figure out who the hell this was and how long I had before I had to deal with an infant; a hungry, pissed off and confused as all hell infant.

I flitted straight to the sound, now knowing what I was looking for. Dropping to my knees next to a mound of snow, I began to dig, throwing snow all over the place like a dog burying a bone. This time of year there is constant blizzards and rapped snow accumulation, which being the main reason that I tend to stick farther south, so there was quite of bit snow to move to get the poor bastard. When I hit the ice block at the bottom, I wasn't really surprised. Human sweat through much of the change, their body heat melting the snow around them so once they begin to cool the water turns to ice encasing them like the fucking missing link; a really shitty way to wake up to this life I would imagine.

After uncovering the popsicle for the most part, I used my shirt to whip off the ice over their face. I then squinted a little to get a look at the new requite to the vampire world. Imagine my fucking surprise to see the perfect stone features of a fuck hot female under the block of ice. That was not what I expected to find, not that I had any idea what the hell to expect at this point, but it was certainly not that. If anything, I expected a brawny mother fucker ready to go ten rounds with Satan, not a tiny 98 pound little girl.

Giving myself a moment to order my thoughts, I leaned a little closer to the ice, getting a better look inside and clearer shot at the speed her heart was beating to find out when she was going to wake up. I would give her another couple of hours but no more than that, IF that. Closing my eyes, I ran through recent reports of missing humans that in anyway resembled her so I knew if arrangements needed to be figured out to kill her off to the human world. The only thing that can to mind was a plane crash a few days ago. They had found the wreckage of the plane and a lot of dead humans, both intact and not so intact, but that was over a hundred miles from here. I knew they were still looking to account for everyone but I didn't want to include her in that until I knew for sure. They already reported no survivors so I wasn't worried about anyone looking for her that way, but I didn't know for sure she was a passenger and until I did, well, no use opening a can of worms before getting to the fishing hole. That would lead to WAY too many fucking problems and raising a newborn was hard enough without added complications.

Yes, I had every intention of raising the baby to adulthood. This wasn't in anyway the little lady's fault, only fucked up circumstances, so I couldn't bring myself to leave her on her own where she would be in constant danger of pissing someone off and getting hurt or killed. I didn't know any other vampires that regulared the area like I tend to do from time to time, but that didn't mean that one or more hadn't moved in in the time I have been gone. One of the biggest no-no's in the vampire world was hunting in another's territory and when I get my hands on the one that hunted in mine, I was gonna fuck 'em up. Never mind the fact that they left one hell of a mess for me to clean up on top of it. Little son of a whore.

Yeah, I wasn't a happy fucker at the moment.

Scratching the back of my head, I cocked it to the side a little as I took in the current issue of getting her out of the ice without causing any damage to her. She was certainly far enough into the change that it probably wouldn't hurt, but not far enough that any form of regeneration would occur and damage sustained would be permanent. Pursing my lips, seeing that the only way to get her out was to break her out, I said a silent prayer that she wouldn't get damaged in the process, brought my arm back, formed a fist, and slammed it as hard as I could into the block to the side of her torso, cracking the frozen prison like a spider's web across the face and down the sides.

I grimace in response to the screams could now be heard clear as day as the fire continued to consume her body. Yeah, Little Lady, I know all about that shit. Digging my fingers into the cracks, I began to break it away in both large chunks and small chips. Mother fucker this shit was strong. It took a decent amount of time to get her completely free of the self-made prison, but eventually, there was nothing left but slush covering her rapidly paling flesh.

Once she was free, her back arched and her head went back as a soul ripping scream was ripped from her toes and giving life enough to leave my ears ringing. Grunting at the sound, I gave the area one last once over, making absolutely sure that there was NO ONE around before looking back at my new pet project. Heaving a quiet sigh, I grabbed her by her bicep and hoisted her up to a sitting position before shifting her into a fireman's carry over my shoulder. Shrugging a little to get her into proper position and ensuring my grip was firm enough I didn't drop her, I turned from what was her tomb and tore off across the ground to make the ten minute run to my house, her screams and shrieks of agony and death floating to the heavens for God to hear since I wasn't giving a shit.


	2. Chapter 2

Once I reached my over sized cabin, I set the little lady on the run in the living room before I set about baby proofing my house. There was nothing left that could be done for her. Even had I snapped her neck, the venom would have repaired the injury, making her change last longer putting her through more torture than anyone should ever endure. I was a dick headed little bastard and would be the first to admit it, but females didn't suffer needlessly at my hands; other than my ex-wife anyways. A cruel little smirk lifted my lips at the memory of her screams and beggings of mercy. Mercy was something that only belonged in the human world, something that I learned the hard way at the hands of an asshole I now call brother, something she learned as well so why she was asking for it from me was something that I will never, in any life, understand.

Giving my head a shake to clear it before I got too far down that road, I started to pack up or put up anything that I didn't want to get broken because the little one was going to be one pissed off little bitch and I had some rather old collectibles laying around here that I would REALLY like to stay in one piece. Had I known when I took off out of here twenty years ago that it was next going to be used as a daycare, I would have had this shit put in storage. Or had I found her sooner, I could have better secured them from the baby, but since I didn't, I did the best I could in the time I had.

If something amiss happens, I guess I could always get replicas but it really isn't the same as the original.

I also didn't know how I was going to go about feeding her when she woke up either. This is why you don't ever take on a newborn one on one. The best system to have is one stays with the infant to keep them under control while one or more go hunting so they can eat. After that they tend to chill the fuck out a little, but their hostility never really goes away until they get a little older. Also, they are stronger, faster and angrier than you and if they get it in their heads they don't like you, you going to die and no one can stop them. They tend to do alright with only one other person present so they don't feel ganged up on or outnumbered. When a newborn feels threatened, it never ends well, for anyone.

I very briefly considered calling my brother but just as quickly dismissed the thought. I loved Jasper to hell and back but his little pint sized imp pissed me off like no other and the last thing I needed was the mutated midget to try and tell me what the fuck to do when it came to something I had a little more knowledge about. I'm sorry, but just because you _see_ something don't mean a fucking thing in my book. I'm the kind of asshole that just smirks at her when she gets going and make fucked up decisions just to piss her off.

Once I thought about shoving a gulf club up Jasper's ass to the point that I was actually reaching for the putter. Jasper thought it was funnier than hell while Alice whined and cried that I was picking on her. I just grinned at Jasper as he tried to keep a straight face while telling me off for making his midget upset. Jasper and I got really drunk that night when the pocketpire refused to have a thing to do with him for not 'properly defending his mate'. The little bitch wasn't his mate and we both knew it. He was just biding his time in the comfort of non-nomadic life while he waited for her.

The fact that the little annoyance had no idea that her 'one and only' was one day going to just up and vanish struck me as a little odd but I certainly couldn't wait for that shit to go down. If Jasper was her 'one and only' I was a fucking god because that little slut fucks pretty much anything with a protrusion from between their legs. She made a pass at me the first time we ever met and I haven't let her forget it. Jasper didn't know about it and I promised he would never find out as long as she kept her fucking nose out of my future, distant or otherwise. The moment she says a fucking word about my future self however, the Major was going to end her.

I doubt he was oblivious about her stepping out on him and I also doubted he gave a fuck. That man had gotten enough pussy in his life to sate a fucking nympho for a lifetime so a minor dry spell wouldn't hurt him any. If anything, the pent up lust from the others he surrounds himself with will make his mate a very happy girl for a very long time. However, it was the fact that it was kept quiet that he left it alone. Once it was brought into the limelight, shit would roll downhill really fucking fast.

Room to room I moved, taking the breakables I wanted saved from the tantrum that was about to hit and packed them in boxes and put them in the attic. It would just have to do for now since for the foreseeable future nothing was going to be safe from her or her anger. I didn't know yet what she was going to be so pissed off about but I knew that the start of this life for her was going to be rot with anger, frustration and all around moodiness. I knew I would get the answer as to why and I knew that I was going to get pissed off when I found out but I didn't yet know why that was and until I did, there was nothing I could do but try and keep her as calm as I could until I figured out how to feed her. I would get nothing out of her until she ate so that was the next order of business to work on once I was done safeguarding the valuables.

For the most part I simply tuned out her screams since this was a normal reaction to acid flowing through someone veins but I did keep a weathered ear on her heartbeat since that was the only indicator on whether or not the change was completed. It hadn't picked up its pace since we got here so I still had some time to double check and make sure I got everything put up and out of her reach. With newborn vampires it's out of sight out of mind so if she never sees it, she won't want to break it.

After a quick walk through and double checking my choices on what I cared or not got broken, I nodded when I only saw my ex-wife's things on the walls and shelves. Once that was done, I headed back to the living room and took a peek at the little lady seeing her contorting into very painful looking positions. It almost looked like she didn't have any bones anymore. I was completely unaware that a body could bend like that.

I moved to her side and crouched by her head, gently moving her hair from her face, taking in her features and expression of pain. To my surprise she slightly leaned into my touch, probably due to the coolness of my skin in comparison to the fire she felt like. I stayed like that for a while until her heart picked up its pace and began to fly telling me she was close to the end.

I dipped my head and whispered in her ear, "Almost done, Sugar. This is the worst part, I ain't gonna lie; it sucks. G'on and scream your pretty little head, Little Lady, you ain't gonna hurt me none."

She did too, good set of lungs on that girl. Not that they mattered much anymore. Knowing the usual tendencies of newborns to attack the first thing they see, I went over to my couch and shoved it out of the way, clearing more space in the room for the little tiff that was about to go down. I still hadn't figured out how I was going to feed her yet, but I figured that I could figure that out once she got the first crack of anger and pissiness out of her system. This was a reaction of every single newborn ever created. It wasn't that they were truly trying to kill whoever they saw first, it was because they were confused, scared and it is usually their sire that they see first so that really couldn't be held against them. I didn't know this chick from Eve and she didn't know who the fuck I was either so the attack that came when her heart stopped and eyes flew open, I completely understood.

Didn't mean I was gonna put with it though.

Thing about newborns are they are strong but stupid. They had the ability to fuck someone up, but didn't know what to do with it so getting her down and restrained was a piece of cake. She did get in a good lick or two, I won't lie about that. She landed a solid kick to the chest and fist to my cheek before I got the upper hand. Shit fucking hurt too.

With my knee in between her shoulder blades and wrists in my hands, I pushed up on them until I heard her skin protest and her cry out from the pain that caused. I really didn't want to hurt her, but if you establish who runs the show from the git-go, things do tend to go a little smoother. The lesson is going to take time to learn, I knew that, but the sooner the lesson began, the better for both of us.

Once her protest to the pain died down to whimpers, I let up on her wrists and spoke in a soft voice that I really hoped conveyed that I didn't want to hurt her, "I will let you up as soon as you promise to play nice, Sugar." It was a quiet admission of agreement, but I heard it nonetheless. Very slowly loosening my hold on her I told her, "I don't have no intentions on hurting you, but I will defend myself in you attack me again ya hear?" She once again nodded in consent to my terms, even though I knew she wasn't done with her fighting yet, so I got off her back and moved away from her to give her space knowing that that was the biggest thing needed when dealing with an unknown newborn. Had I had any idea who she was as a human, I wouldn't be handling her with kid gloves, but because I didn't, I was on my guard for anything that could crop up and be a bitch to deal with right now; like a fucking gift.

Her movements her jerky as she went to get to her feet. Chances were her new found speed was freaking her out at the moment and she was trying to move like she used to in an attempt to find some semblance of normality in herself. I kinda felt bad for her really. She only got to a kneeling position before her hand went up and grabbed her throat, a soft whine breaking from her lips as her shoulders began to shake. This was an odd reaction to have.

I crouched down trying to make my 6'4 frame look a little less intimidating to her, and softened my face and voice, "Hey there now, none of that. We can take care of that, no problem Sugar. You just settle down now."

She shook her head a little before turning to look at me, her eyes glazed over with venom that would never break free from her eyes. She shrank back from me, pressing herself against the wall closest to her, whining and whimpering like a newborn puppy, hand still around her throat. I just closed my eyes when I realized I was scaring the shit out of her. She could see the scars and while they are a deterrent to keep wayward newborns from stepping out of rank, this wasn't an army camp and she wasn't a soldier. She was a terrified little girl seeing nothing but danger in my appearance. It's instinct to fear a bitten to fuck older vampire and it would seem that her fear was getting the best of her.

Not knowing what else to do at the moment, I started to purr low and soft in my chest in an attempt to get her to understand I wasn't going to hurt her. She relaxed a little but not enough for my tastes. Keeping the purr going, I kept the soft voice, even lowering it a few more octaves, "it's alright, Sugar. You have nothing to fear from me, I promise." She flinched a little at the word 'promise' so I tried something else to give that a once over in my mind without losing gained ground, however little it was, "What's your name, Sugar?"

She blinked at me a few times, incomprehension shining bright in her red eyes. Mother fucker, if she didn't remember her human life this would be that much fucking harder. Or, perhaps she just didn't speak English. Thinking that maybe she was on that plane and from a different country, I tried again in French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, even in languages that she clearly didn't resemble and all that happened was her looking more and more confused with every word. After a very valiant effort on my part, I finally came to terms with the fact she either didn't remember her human life or she was from a different planet. I knew nearly every language having lived in nearly every country at one point or another and she didn't react to any one of them. She did however seem to understand what I said in English but didn't know the answer to the question.

There were a few different things that could happen with her memories. One, they would come back with a vengeance once she ate. Two; she would never get them back. Also, there was the possibility that she would only ever get some of them back as is normal with this life. The last thing is she sees something from her human life that blows the damn away around her past. I can deal with any one of these situations no problem having done it in the past, but if I at least knew her name it would be a lot easier to work with her until then. I also knew from experience that if a newborn doesn't remember their human life at all there is more than likely a reason for it.

Switching back to English to talk to her, I bit my bottom lip a little, "Do you not know your name, Sugar?" I saw her eyes go distant, like she was searching her mind for that answer, before a look of absolute horror overtook her features and she shook her head. I nodded, "It's alright, Sugar, don't get all upset now. We'll figure it out don't you worry about that. It might take some time but we will." Remembering her reaction to the word promise, I used a different route to the same destination, "I give you my word on that."

She was still pressed hard to the wall but she wasn't as tightly coiled anymore. Seems that the kid gloves are going to be staying for a while longer then. I watched her swallow hard a few times and take a breath through her nose before she spoke for the first time, though it was only a whisper; "What's your name?"

Giving her a small smile, "Names Peter, ma'am, and you are welcome to use any variation you feel comfortable with. It ain't gonna bother me none if you prefer Pete or Petey." She nodded slightly and swallowed again. I took one more try at finding out who she was before I took her to get something to eat. It wasn't exactly ideal to take a freshly woken up baby vampire into any form of human habitation but I didn't have many other choices. She would bolt if I left her on her own and that was certainly something I didn't want. Clearing my throat a little, "Do you remember anything at all before now? Any little detail you can think of might help me in figuring out your name if nothing else."

She pursed her lips as her eyes began to dart to and fro, this way and that around the room as she looked for anything to tell me. I could see it in her eyes she was determined to tell me at least one thing about her and I had to give her props for that. I knew it couldn't be easy not know even your fucking name. When I woke to this life I had minimal recollection of who I was but I at least knew that. I had sense lost the last of my human memories, both to time and simply not giving enough of a damn to remember. It wasn't like they mattered anymore. It was well over a hundred years ago I lived that life so what the fuck did it matter what my favorite color was or what I did to pass the time? I couldn't do it anymore so I so no need to hold on to them.

It was a few minutes before she began to get upset again, as in pissed off this time, when it became apparent that she wasn't going to remember even the slightest detail of who she was. A low growl began to build in her chest and begin the climb to freedom as her red eyes began to darken with each passing second. Her teeth bared as her eyes narrowed and spark with ten degrees of malice.

Maybe I was wrong about her memories. Bracing myself for an attack, I tisked a little, "You remember something Sugar?"

Her voice was sinister and words clipped, "red… fire… fear… glee… anger… pain… suffer like I suffer… alone for eternity… burn like he burned… so sweet… burn… burn… suffer… burn…"

I started to get a really bad, sinking feeling as her words settled in my mind. That did not sound pleasant, in the slightest. Never mind that little demon in my living room had murder in her eyes, distant or not. She didn't see a thing as she continued to speak in broken sentences and single words leaving me to piece it together as best I could with what she gave me.

"Took mine… take his… burn… alone… forever… suffer… silence… red fire… glows so brightly… sweetness of death… you'll never know… my present… dark heart… alone… torment… sweet revenge… James… mate for mate… heart for heart..."

Oh sweet Jesus, the sinking feeling turned into my stomach dropping to my feet. I knew who this was now; there was no way I couldn't. Jasper told me all about her, in rapt detail a few years ago. The moment she said the name James it clicked as our last conversation about her flooded my mind.

 _ **Flashback**_

 _I was sitting on my couch, feet propped up on my coffee table watching a kick ass movie when my phone rang. Growling slightly at the tiny piece of pure irritation, I paused my movie, at the best part of course, and picked it up. Glancing at the screen I flipped it open, "What's up fuckhead? Long time no talk asshole."_

 _I heard him chuckle a little,_ _"_ Oh get over it ya fucking pussy."

 _I snorted, just like old times. "Any reason you pick now to call? I was watching a kick ass flick and you interrupted the best part asswipe."_

 _I could almost see_ _the smirk on his face at that information._ "Let me guess, you have a set of tits on your TV screen right now."

 _Fucker or not, he did know me; "Beside the point. Now, what can I do for you Major?"_

"You are not going to believe this shit. You remember that human I told you about? The one that fucktard brought to the house?"

 _Rolling my head on my shoulders a moment to think about that one, I finally nodded when that conversation surfaced, "vaguely. What about her? Did the little bastard finally take her up on the offer of relieving him of his well-maintained 'V' card?" Never understood why the little bitch wouldn't just fuck the girl already, she sounded willing enough to me._

 _He snorted hard at that,_ "Fuck no, though why I couldn't tell ya. Human or not, the chick is smokin' hot. Legs for miles and enough hair for a fantastic grip. Tell ya this though, if he doesn't relieve that girl of some pent up frustration soon, I fucking will; many, many times." _Horny little fucker._

 _I chuckled as I got up and went to get a beer, "Though I have no doubts about that, I doubt that's what you wanted to tell me. I could have figured that out on my own. Get to the point fucker or I'm hanging up and getting my rocks off to the blonde I got a great tit view of."_

"Right, so get this shit. We were playing baseball right and out of no fucking where we got this nomadic coven in our faces. This wouldn't have been a problem if the stupid little prick wouldn't have brought the human to watch us play."

 _He then went on to tell me all about his little 'brother's' demand to remove the human from harm, taking her south to her previous place of residence, her giving him the slip in the airport (a fact I gave him no small amount of shit for) up to the arrival at a ballet studio._

 _I smirked into the opening of my beer bottle, "Major get to kick some ass?"_

 _I swear I heard his eyes roll,_ "fuck no. That little pansy ass beat me to it. By the time I got there, the tracker had bitten the girl, after beating the ever living shit out of her, and I had to put most of my concentration into keeping the little bastard's blood lust in check so he didn't kill her. All I got to do was start a fucking fire and as pretty as they are, it wasn't really enough to calm ME down with that fucking groups emotions, and that's if you forget how I take a man laying a fucking finger on woman." _Jasper is probably the only guy that hates that shit more than I do. He will fuck UP a wife beater._

 _Swallowing my mouthful of beer, a shrugged, "Why didn't the fucker just let her change and fake her death? She sounded like she was all for it and really, it would have been so much easier than trying to come up with a cover story for everything that happened to her. Not to mention an all-around better idea the long run. Seriously, is he NOT concerned about the risk of exposure?"_

"I honestly doubt it to tell you the truth. Not only is he NOT worried about this shit getting to the assholes in Italy, he also seems to think that the little red headed bitch isn't something to worry about either. HE seems to think that there wasn't that much of a formal connection between her and the tracker because he didn't read it in her mind. I am telling you now Peter, I truly think Fuckward just signed Iz's death certificate. He might not have read anything about a bond in either of their minds but it was certainly in their emotions. He also missed the fact that James was the leader of the coven so even if it wasn't a bond of mates or whatever, we killed her coven leader and that is nearly just as bad."

 _I grunted at the truth of that statement. Any vampire that was older than a year KNEW not to fuck with a vampire's mate or the leader of their coven, you WILL get fucked up. As I ran the tale though my head again, a thought occurred to me, "If you and that big son of a bitch were the ones to kill the tracker, why are you worried about the human? Pussyward didn't do shit but break some glass. Wouldn't it be the mutant midget or the vane bitch that would be the brunt of her anger?"_

 _He sighed a little but did not correct me when I didn't use Alice's name. I call that progress; he either doesn't care anymore or the bitch pissed him off and he is currently in agreement. It could go either way._

"If you think about it like the fucking soldier I trained you to be, you would know why I think that." _Ah, he didn't correct me because he wanted me to feel like an idiot. And after a moment's thought, I had to agree._

 _"_ _You think she's going to go after the human because she's the easy target."_

 _He chuckled,_ "Very good, Captain Dumbass." _I growled a little but didn't say anything knowing that wasn't a friendly chuckle; my Major was a little on the pissy side tonight._

 _"_ _So what are you gonna do then? Go after her and finish the job?"_

 _It was his turn to growl and I'm sorry, over the phone or not, Jasper has one seriously scary growl. I would have pissed a little had that been a viable option for me._

"No; I am forbidden from doing a fucking thing. The loss of the tracker is a nonissue to the bitch and she left the area. Alice said that she didn't see her ever being a problem of any kind and to just leave it alone." _Well, that's why he didn't correct me. He IS pissed at the pixy and not to make me feel stupid. Good to know right now._

 _However. "You don't GET forbidden." Then I groaned as I figured it out, "What do you want me to do?"_

"I want you to inform me the MOMENT you get any kind of feeling that revolves around us. I don't give a good goddamn what it is either. I need to know if this is a nonissue or if I'm goin huntin; orders be fucking damned."

 _My jaw dropped at that, "You don't ignore orders." Something wasn't adding up here and it had to do with the human; that I never actually met. Damn it._

"Are you questioning me, Captain?"

 _Mother fucker but I'm an idiot; "No, Sir." Can we not have ONE conversation that I don't end up getting threatened?_

 _"_ I didn't think so." _Then he paused a moment,_ _"_ I gotta go. Remember, anything, you call, right the fuck away. _"_

 _I pulled the phone away from my ear after I heard the click and just looked at my phone before I sighed and hand my hand down my face; "Sir, yes sir."_

 _ **End Flashback**_

My lips thinned as I looked at the baby vamp in my living room. I wasn't entirely sure how to proceed at this point. If I called Jasper now I KNEW my ass was toast the moment he got here because I was supposed to be looking out for this kind of crap. It didn't matter that I had no control over my intuition and I never got anything on anyone that I didn't personally know or didn't have a direct impact on me. I was pretty sure I was told about her NOW because she was within my territory, something that would have reflected on me had I allowed her to run rampant through the area.

The next question was, 'What in the name of FUCK was she doing here in the first fucking place'? Or better yet, 'where the FUCK was that damn coven'? Just like six years ago the last time I talked to Jasper, something about this situation wasn't adding up and I was kinda miffed to somehow get pulled in and stuck in the middle of their shit. I wanted to throw a fucking hissy fit right about now. I couldn't right at the moment but I would, very soon.

The first order of business however, was to get her fed and fuck that animal bullshit. This little lady was mine for the time being and there was no way in fuck I was feeding that shit to her. That is just fucking mean. If she don't ask, I ain't offering.

Squaring my mental shoulders for this, I silently decided to keep what I knew about her to myself for right now. I didn't know much and the little I did wasn't going answer anything she would ask. Jasper always referred to her as Iz but I knew that was nickname but not for what. I also knew she didn't actually go by that. It was Jasper's way of talking about her to me and still leaving me enough in the dark to not get in trouble should one of the seven of them fuck up and her get found out about; not that it really mattered anymore.

Shifting ever so slightly closer to her, I waved my hand a little to drag her attention back to me as I prepared for her to lose that last little grip she had on her temper. I knew that she was going to have a nasty one and it was my mission to get her to lose it as much as possible for the next couple of weeks so she learns how to control it and lengthen the fuse a little. I also fought with her a little longer this time to get it out of her system. We were about to venture out into the world and she needed to have a calm head when we went over the rules for doing so. I was gonna let her eat whatever the fuck she wanted but I REALLY wasn't in the mood to cover up a massacre. If I had someone else here with me I wouldn't give a fuck if she tore the little village apart, but since it was just me, there would be no one to keep an eye on her while I cleaned up her mess and no baby is gonna help with that chore; not until they are about six or seven months or so and not so easily distracted by everything little fucking thing.

Other than feeding time, infant vampires have about a ten second attention span, ADD at its best, meaning that unless you're the object of their desire, you have to keep on your toes with them. Mood swings from hell ain't got shit on a newborn. One moment they will be calm and nearly friendly and the next they will try and beat the shit out of you with no provocation. This was basic vampire 101, but if you didn't know what you were doing or what to look for, you were fucked ten ways to Sunday. Again, it wasn't necessarily that they wanted to kill and or maim you. It was that they just lacked the control needed over their emotions to keep them in check. That too was something that took months if not years to obtain. We feel emotions so much stronger than humans do and it takes time to grow used to it. All that on top of the other shit we have to get used to that is thrown at you at one and you have a recipe for a very volatile creature.

Letting her get in her licks for a few minutes, I turned the tables on her and got her down and restrained again, this time simply keeping her still as she labored for breath that she didn't actually need. Giving her a moment to calm herself further, I whispered in her ear, "Feel better, Sugar?" At her nod I let go and turned her to face me, purposefully staying in her personal space bubble. She had to learn that I wasn't going to hurt her and be comfortable with me being right there next to her so she didn't freak out every time I got close to her. Once those big, dark red eyes looked up at me, I gave her a small smile.

"Alright, now I need you to listen to me. I am going to take you to get something to eat. When I tell you to stop breathing, you need to do so and do not stray too far. Stick right with me and this will go a lot smoother than if I hunt you back down. Once we get you all fat and happy, we'll figure out where to go from there, sound good Sugar?"

At the mention of feeding her, her eyes went flat black and her hand went back around her throat. She started swallowing repeatedly telling me that she was quickly reaching the limit her body could handle when it came to thirst. She has been awake now for about a half hour so I was impressed she hadn't tried to bolt yet. However, the tightening of her jaw and locking of her muscles told me she was about to.

Telling her to stay put for just a second, I darted to my room and grabbed two hoodies out of the closet, throwing one on and taking the other to 'Iz', pulling it on her and telling her that when I tell her too, to put the hood up. When got closer to the village, I would have her cover her nose with the sleeve as well as cutting off her breathing. My scent on the fabric would cover the scent of human blood enough for her to keep her cool if she has an oopsy and inhales after I tell her not too.


	3. Chapter 3

For her first try, she did about as well as I thought she was going to; she wore more than she actually swallowed. The little lady however, could apparently give a fuck. She was currently sitting cross legged on the ground lapping at her fingers and hands like a kitten cleaning the blood from her stone skin completely ignoring the three corpses lying next to her. I had raised quite a few babies in my day but this was a first. I just continued to lounge in the tree above her head and out of her direct line of sight, watching her as she sniffed at herself trying to find every salvageable drop of blood. I knew better than too so much as speak until she moved away from her kills. They might be dead and drained but they were still hers and she would fight you for them until she decided she was done with them. I would be the one to dispose of them when that happened though since she didn't know how to do that yet.

Once she decided that she was clean enough, she turned back to the bodies, licking at their necks and faces, doing much the same with them as she did with herself, making damn sure she didn't miss anything. She took her time and cleaned them up proper. When she dubbed herself fully finished with them, she moved off to the side a few steps before plopping back down on the ground, looking up at me like she didn't have a care in the world; and to her, she probably didn't. She was fully sated and had the protection of someone that was clearly not to be fucked with. To her, everything was probably near perfect.

I however, wasn't stupid. Before I dropped to the ground to dispose of her dinner, I made fucking sure she was done. She had just fed making her a force to be reckoned with should something set her off. So I waited for her nod before I got anywhere near those bodies.

Once they were never to be found again, I got her up and she followed silently behind me towards my house and her new home. As far as I was concerned, until I found out just what the fuck happened to have her end up all the way out past BFE, I wasn't giving her back to the Cullen Coven and I didn't give a fuck. Jasper could get as pissed as he liked at me for it, but this was his mess I was cleaning up as far as I was concerned and he owed me a fucking explanation for this shit.

Once we got to the house, I got her a shower going, laying out everything she would need and told her not to touch it if she didn't absolutely need to. Her face was one of pure amusement at the order so I took it upon myself to explain to her that if she touched it, it would break and that I would break her in retaliation. It was a threat made in jest and I think that somewhere she knew that, but the absolute terror on her face and unchecked fear in her eyes told me that it was probably too soon to fuck with her like that since she was changed into a vampire out of revenge.

Giving myself a mental crack upside the head, I pulled her to my chest and ran my fingers through her hair until she stopped shaking, apologizing repeatedly for my fucked up sense of humor and swearing up, down and sideways that I wouldn't harm her or allow anyone else to. Once she settled a little more I went into a full explanation about her new found strength and that until she was a little older and a little more in control of her heightened abilities, she needed to let me do most everything for her so that she didn't accidentally break something. When I was done she seemed to understand that I really didn't mean to freak her out and promised not to touch anything and would call me when she was done getting a shower.

Leaving her to do that, I went to my room to hunt her up something to wear. She was such a short shit and I didn't have anything left of my ex having used it as knelling the last time I was here so in the end it was boxers and a tee shirt. It wasn't like she was going to get cold. I would set up the satellite and electronics a little later so she could use my computer to order clothing because there was no why in fuck I was going shopping for her. I wouldn't do that for Char when she was alive and I wasn't doing that shit now. I hate shopping with a blinding passion and avoid it like the fucking plague. I wouldn't even do that shit online. I would help her not break my computer, but SHE was picking that shit out. I didn't care what she got, that was up to her and her style and it wasn't like I didn't have the money for her to splurge a little. It was going to be over a year before she would be controlled enough to join civilization again so she was going have get a hefty amount of crap. Most of it was going to be lost to her strength, others to the hunt, and since she can't just run out to replace it, well, that was going to be really big package.

Running different things though my head that needed done around the place, I took the time she was in the shower to start the generators in the basement and hooking shit up. I wasn't going to get it all done before she called for me, but I could at least get a start on it.

While hunting for the wires and cords I needed I heard a scream coming from the little lady that actually made me jump. Not knowing what the hell the problem was, I dropped everything in my hands and tore ass up the steps, all but ripping the bathroom door off the hinges, blinking at the sight in front of me. Cocking my head to the side, I just looked at the girl that looked absolutely terrified staring at the mirror; or rather the reflection in it.

Sighing a little, I moved to stand behind her, setting my hand on her shoulder and locking my eyes with her reflection. "You get used to it, Sugar."

Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she seemed to get a grip on herself, actually looking a little sheepish, "Sorry."

I cocked a brow at her, "For what? I was a newborn once too, Little Lady. I understand exactly what you're dealing with right now. It takes time to get used to the life and I ain't gonna lie, sometimes it's hard as fuck, but you deal and move on to the next adventure."

She looked back at the mirror and gave her head a little shake, "no, that's not it; not really." She shrugged a little helplessly, not really knowing where to take that statement thinking that I didn't understand what she was going through when I actually did.

Grabbing the towel off the counter, I turned her to face me and wrapped it around her shoulders, looking back in her eyes, giving her a little smile, "You don't have to explain shit to me, Sugar. While my sire wasn't out for revenge when I was turned, he was out to recruit me into an army of mismatched misfits fighting over feeding rights. I know what it's like to be brought into this world for fucked up reasons. Like I said, it takes time but you learn to deal with it and move on. Trust me when I say, it does get easier, it just takes time. Well, that and a fuckton of practice."

Her lips thinned as she looked down a little, her eyes swirling with both anger and irritation. She swallowed before speaking, "How long until I don't see her eyes looking back at me? How long until I don't want to kill her too?"

At that I gave a little tisk as I started to dry her off. That was a little harder of an answer. I have been part of this world for a very long time and there are times that I do harbor a lot of anger at Jasper for turning me. They are a lot more infrequent now that I am not constantly fighting for my life and food, but they are there on random occasions. I did however decide to be honest with her. "It took me over 50 years before I didn't want to kill him for doing this to me. However, before you get your panties in a twist over that, I told you that I was changed to be a soldier in a war.

"My beginning to this life was dangerous and deadly. I was always looking over my shoulder for threats. I was constantly fighting amongst the others that were created for the same reason I was. I was nearly always hungry. I lived like that for a long time and resentment was strong for him, was for a long time after I left that life too. Then I figured out that he didn't know any better. He had been created for the same reason I was and didn't know that there was a life outside war over feeding grounds. It took a while, but I was able to move past my anger and hatred for him and I went back and pulled him away from that life. I showed him that there was more to this afterlife than fighting to eat and survive.

"Once he learned that he didn't always have to be a badass little fucker and fight every last vampire that gave him a dirty look or questioned his orders or just flat out told him to go fuck himself, he let go of a lot of the negative that was bred into him and now, I couldn't imagine my life without him as my brother. Don't get wrong, my sire is still not one to fuck with. He learned to take a joke over the years but he is still every bit the son of a bitch he was then but now that anger and hatred that he holds in his core is used for different purposes. NOW it's used to protect those he cares about.

"As far as your sire is concerned, I can't answer that." Heaving a light sigh as I led her to my room where I had her clothing laying out, I thought about how to continue that as I helped her get dressed. After a moment I went with, "You have to decide what is more important. Revenge on her for what she did you by killing her off or getting revenge on her by doing the opposite she intended for you. From the little I got from you earlier, it sounds like she wants your life to be full of misery and upset. You're probably always going to hate her for the reason she bit you. You're probably always going to want to kill her for it as well. However, the choice you have to make is are you going to lower yourself to her level or are you going to raise to the challenge she presented you with and tell her to fuck the fuck off and have a kick ass afterlife. Personally, I would go with the latter, but that's just me. I like to piss people off." If you don't believe me, ask the mutant midget.

She had sat on my bed after I was done dressing her, listening to me as I laid it on the line for her. I was blunt and to the point, giving her as little pretty word bullshit to sort through as I could knowing that she wouldn't have the patience to do that for long. She pulled her bottom lip into between her teeth and chewed on it a little as her brow down in thought.

A few minutes later she looked up at me, "What were we talking about?"

I chuckled as I grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet, "I'll take that as you are going with the latter option. Come on, you can give me a hand making this place a little more habitable."

For the next couple of hours she did her best to lend a hand when needed, being overly careful not to break anything. She wasn't very successful but I wasn't really expecting her to be; that's why I gave her things to carry that didn't fucking matter. I just wanted her to have a feeling of accomplishment for a little while before I had to take her hunting again.

Since I couldn't take her back to the last place because it was so small, I didn't wait until she was on the brink of insanity before tossing her a hoodie and leading her back out into the wilderness. At the look she got on her face as we passed a herd of reindeer, I figured that the animal diet was out for her; good. It was an hour run to the bigger city and I posted her ass about a mile from the border, deadly serious when I told her not to move if she wanted to eat. Once she was as relaxed as she could be that close to human habitation, I went in to the slimier part of the city and collected prime choice humans for her to eat. I really hated rapists and could think of no better end to them than feeding them to a newborn. Once those were delivered and I knew she was going to be staying put with them, I took the time to eat myself before getting her a portly mother fucker to finish filling her up. Keeping my distance from the feeding infant, I tossed her her third victim and hopped up on a tree branch to keep an eye on her and the surrounding area while she was distracted.

Once again, just as before, she went all adorable kitten on me and lapped at the blood she was covered in and then cleaned up her meals as well, moving off to the side a little to tell me she was as done as she was gonna get. Double checking with her, I disposed of the bodies but instead of taking her straight back the house, I let her get out a bit of her pent up aggression on the forest.

She spent the better part of an hour just ripping it apart; knocking down trees, ripping them into splinters or into sawdust. By the time she ran out of steam there was a sizable clearing that had not been there before but looked so natural that had you not know that there used to be trees, you never would have known the difference. Also by the time she was done, she had spent all her excess energy and since she was stuffed silly from her meal, I actually thought that she was about to fall asleep. With a quiet chuckle at her easy and lazy smile, I offered her my back and ran her the rest of the home.

After getting her cleaned back up, I got the computer hooked up and set up with internet and all that fun shit before calling her over from the couch and book she had gotten ahold of. When she first picked it up I was a little worried she would end up ripping it apart but when I saw the title I realized it didn't matter if she did or not.

When she was behind me looking over my shoulder, I brought up a couple of different sites and told her to pick some shit out. I gave a look of confusion when she hesitated, "Something wrong?"

She bit her lip and scratched her head, "I don't, I mean I can't…" Then she sighed, "I don't have any way to pay for it."

I still did not understand the problem. I stood up and pulled my wallet out of my back pocket, "I am aware of that." Pulling my credit card out I tossed it on the desk, "Pick your shit and I'll take care of it from there."

She looked at the card a moment before looking back at me, "Are you sure? I can't pay you back."

I nodded as I pushed her to sit down, "I am aware of that too. You have a long time before you can go out and do this in person and eventually I am going to run out of clothes if you keep wearing them to hunt in. Around the house is one thing but you are one hell of a messy eater and blood don't come out. Pick out whatever you want and I'll take care of it."

She still looked pensive but nodded none the less and turned to the computer squinting her eyes a little at the sting of the brightness. Leaving her to entertain herself with that, I started the massive undertaking of hooking up the TV and other necessities for this place; DVD player, gaming systems, surround sound, things like that while every once and awhile checking on the little one's progress and computer status. She was on the desktop and I had a laptop if she killed it, but she seemed to be alright for the most part. I had a box of mousses if she crushed the one she was using, which she did not long after she began. I just smiled at her as I replaced it and sent her back on her shopping spree. I took a quick glance at the 'shopping cart' and snorted at the numbers I saw there. The poor little thing was out of her ever loving fucking mind if she thought that was going to be anywhere near enough clothing. If that was all she was going to get, this was going to be a weekly thing for her and I didn't have that many mousses and I really didn't want to sacrifice my laptop to a newborn if I didn't have too. With a shrug and decision to simply take matters into my own hands when she was done, I went back to work setting up the place.

She spent a few good hours on the computer and by the time she was done, she had picked out a decent amount of things. When she told me she was done, her face was a little worried as I went over to enter in my information and where to send it.

As I was looking at the screen and reviewing the order to make sure this was not going to be a weekly think, she whispered, "It's not too much is it? It was just…"

I clamped my hand over her mouth to shut her up. Looking at her from the corner of my eye, I shook my head as I scrolled through her orders on the different sites, "don't you worry that pretty little head about anything, Sugar. You could buy an island and it ain't gonna break my bank. Is this all you want for now?" I had to suppress a smirk at the widening of her eyes at the question and statement.

She blinked at me a few times before looking back at the screen, pulling my hand away from her, "You mean that I am going to need MORE than that?"

I nodded as I began to type in my credit card numbers and P.O. Box shit, "An order this size will last you about two months give or take. Think about it, Sugar. For the next little while there are going to be five or six trips to feed you a day, and then there is you trying to dress yourself and ripping the shit out of whatever you're holding. You're going to go through pants faster than tops because of running. Being a newborn is about learning and clothing takes the brunt of that. Until you learn to eat without making a mess and get enough control over your strength, your wardrobe is going to suffer massive casualties. That is just the way it is." After the order was paid for and posted express priority mailings even though it would still be about a week until they arrived, I turned and leaned against the desk and crossed my arms, taking in her expression. I wasn't sure if she was upset or just annoyed. Hmm, seems she wasn't a fan of shopping either.

Deciding to take her mind off clothing, I turned her thoughts to something else. "Have you remembered anything else about you yet?" Her eyes snapped up to mine, irritation swirling in the darkening depths. It was almost time to take her hunting again. After making that notation, I focused on her.

She was silent a moment before nodding a little, "It's vague and blurry, really hard to make out and none of it looks the slightest bit familiar. It's like a movie that I have seen but can't remember ever doing to so before. I can see faces but don't know who they are. I can smell things but can't name them. I almost feel like a trespasser when I think about them, like they are someone else's memories that I have no right to look at."

I nodded, "That's normal, don't worry about it. Let's see if we can't clear 'em up any. Pick anything you want, it doesn't matter if it's a single still snapshot of someone or some place. Just describe it in as much detail as you can and let's see if you don't get a better view as you actually look for different things." We would get maybe one talked about before it was time to take her hunting, but I was maybe a little too interested in her memories. I needed to know more about the vampires in them than anything.

She shifted her position in the computer chair, pulling one leg under her and the other bent at the knee where she set her chin as she began to look all starry eyed as they went distant. It was actually very difficult for us to look at and understand our human memories, some more than others, and so far she wasn't anything abnormal. She was a typical newborn baby; a fact that I am over joyed about. If she was a weird one this would be a lot more difficult.

I focused back on her when she started to speak. "It's a forest, I think; there are trees all around and it smells like pine and wintergreen, and I don't see anything else but there's a boy, and he looks vaguely familiar. He has hair the color of a penny and it's absolutely everywhere on his head, like the poor fucker doesn't own a brush. It's the eyes though, that I feel like I should feel something over."

Ah, she's recalling Edward. Wonderful. Moving on; "What are feeling while looking at him?"

She made a noise in the back of her throat as she wrapped her arms around her shin, "Honestly, nothing, absolutely nothing. I know this was someone I should feel SOMEthing for, but I just don't."

"Alright, let's move on to sound. You said you smell the trees so now tell me what you hear?"

Her eyes sparked at my order, her words coming out much like they did when she first woke up and in that same royally pissed off, clipped tone. "Don't want you… not good enough… never see me… never existed… live for Charlie… already gone…" She seemed to snap out of whatever that was again well enough on her own then began to pick at a thread on the pants she was wearing, "Then he's gone and there is nothing but trees. I can see them get closer and vanish like I'm moving through them but I don't know why, where I'm going, or what happened next. After that, there's nothing."

I sighed hard and rubbed my eyes with a thumb and forefinger. Well, that might explain a few different things. I wish she remembered more than just tiny snippets but going off just that, it kinda sounds like the little bastard broke things off with and then left her in the woods. Pussy ass little bitch. "What do you feel seeing it play out?"

She snarled quietly and a growl rumbled in her chest, "resentment and anger, lots and lots of anger. I THINK I should be sad or hurt or maybe crushed, but all I want to do is beat the fuck out him."

It took more effort than I cared to admit not to smirk at that. There is a line around the planet waiting to get their hands on that little fucker; myself included for a stunt he pulled a few decades ago. He would get his; I fully planned on personally seeing to it. However, looking at her, I decided to ask her one last thing before taking her to eat, "Do you remember what he called you? Really, you can let your memories slip away if you want as soon as we surface your name."

Her lips pulled from her teeth as her temper rose. Oh, this should be good. "He called me 'Love'. Somehow, I doubt that's what my parents called me when I came out of my mother's snatch."

I had to cover my mouth to cover the bark of choked laughter at that. Wow, this chick was blunt. Snorting and shaking my head, "You're probably right. Don't worry about it, Sugar, we'll get there. If not, we'll call you something else. It really isn't a big deal. Truthfully, when I get your new identity and shit, you're not really going to be able to use your human name anyways."

She narrowed her eyes at me, "Then why are you so gung –ho about me remembering it if I can't even use it?"

I smirked at her, "intuitive little bitch aren't you? I need your human name so I can find out if you're missed in the human world. If you are there are things that have to be done to make you less so."

She cocked a brow, "beg pardon?"

"If you are a missing person, I have to kill you in the eyes of the humans so they stop looking for you. Your human life is over; you cannot go back to it or anyone that knew you. We have rules in this world and the punishment for breaking them is steep. If humans continue to look for you and they find you, it's death or the change for them. Do you want to sentence someone else to life as a vampire?" She shook her head, "I didn't think so. We still have time to figure everything out so don't worry about it right now. Let's head to the city and get you fed. We can work on surfacing your name later."


	4. Chapter 4

It took her about a week after she woke up to recall her name, though it was only the shortened version of Bella and her surname was lost to the fog of humanity. That was enough to figure out her full name with the nickname of Iz that Jasper calls her though. When I asked if she thought that her full name was Isabella she scrunched her nose and gagged a little while responding, "I fucking hope not. If so my parents hated my ass."

I spent a while going through missing person reports to see if there was one out on her but I didn't expect to find one. I didn't have her last name and I didn't know what she looked like as a human so the pictures were useless to me. I didn't know any of the basic information about her versus what the venom of her change created because I didn't know the condition of her human shell when she was bitten. If there was damage to the facial structure of her skull she would get a whole new face during reconstruction. I still had a hunch that she was part of that plane crash though.

Over the week and a half since that plane went down they had only said that there was no survivors found but had not released the passenger list yet because there was still a lot of them unaccounted for. They wouldn't release that until they found at least 80% of the humans that were supposed to be on board and would then release a list of those that were never found a couple of week later to give them enough time for the hunt to cool and freeze. They did that because there is the chance that the missing people that were supposed to be on the plane never boarded, leaving it then up to the families to hunt down their loved ones. It never went any farther than that because just as easy as they never boarded, an animal got to them first. That would be the case in this instance however because from what I was able to dig up on it, every ticket was accounted for so if they bought a seat their ass was in it. Getting my hands on that fucking passenger list however was proving harder than it used to be.

Two or three times over the passing days I had considered contacting Jasper again to get the girl's last name but I didn't have a good enough reason at the ready to explain and until I knew the whole story of that memory of the woods, I wasn't sure that I wanted his ass to show up. I was still a little salty over the whole thing and I wasn't sure how she would react to him. She was only now losing the standard skittishness with me, though she will jump a mile with a shriek if I'm not careful, and Jasper is FAR scarier than I am. I got more scars than he does but his personality is a lot rougher and his experience with newborns and how he handles them is a lot different than mine. I have experience with them outside a war zone and as far as I know he doesn't. Bella has become my little buddy and there was NO way I was gonna let Jasper fuck her up. I would probably kill him; or die trying.

Though while she was setting down a little more she was still having a lot of trouble with everything else; a fact that she was getting pissed off to end over. I tried to tell her that this was normal and that she would get it in time. When I told her that she threw a fucking fit that would make any self-respecting human toddler proud. I just stood there and let her have it, there was no calming her down and I knew it. So, I let her fuck some shit up to get it out of her system. Once it was, I told her in plain and simple terms that this was her life for at least a year, possibly longer, and to come to grips with it. There was no skipping this stage no matter how much it pissed her off. I spent the next afternoon rebuilding the wall to the house because she decided to redecorate and add a door using me as the tools to create it.

As I was putting the finishing touches on the frame since she did in fact think a set of French door would look nice, I turned my head when I saw her out of the corner of my eye. She was looking at the ground and holding out a beer bottle.

When I took it she sighed, "I'm really sorry I acted like that. There was no excuse for it. You've been nothing but nice to me and I keep trying to kick your ass for helping."

I waved her off as I took a pull from the bottle. After I swallowed it, "I've been there sweet cheeks. I know what you're going through and I know how angry a baby can get. When I took you in I took on every nasty responsibility that comes with it."

She nodded and took a pull of her own beer, grimacing a little at the overly bitter taste. "Doesn't make it right though."

I just shrugged but was cut off from responding when my phone rang. Heading inside with her on my heels, I picked it up off the counter and took a look at the caller ID. Smirking at her, "This might cheer you up, your clothes are here." Her eyes brightened and she started bouncing on her toes as I answered the phone. After getting the information the post office had for me, I hung up and looked at her; my lips pursed as I tried to figure out what to do here. I needed to get a new truck while I was there and a few other things that she wouldn't be able to go with me for but I wasn't sure she was ready to left on her own just yet. I would be while and the last thing I needed was a hungry ferial newborn going to get something to eat because there wouldn't be a voice of reason to tell her that was a bad idea.

I was really fucked either way, but if she was with me I could keep an eye on her and feed her if it became necessary. I would just make getting my truck my first stop and she could just stay in the cab while I tended to my other shit. Settling on that, I smiled at her, "Wanna go with me?"

She just lit the fuck up at that, "really? I can?"

I nodded, "Only if you swear on your fucking LIFE you listen to everything I say. This isn't a joke. If you kill someone that I don't tell you you can, your ass is in SO much trouble."

She giggled as she threw her arms around my neck and placed a smacking smooch on my cheek making me chuckle at her as just jumped back down to raid my closet for something to put on. We had a fucked up little relationship, as is normal with newborns. That little ball of bitch was probably the closest thing I have ever had a kid sister. I was playing the role of 'daddy' right now but that sure as fuck wasn't going to last. I am not exactly father of the year material. As soon as she no longer needed constant parental supervision that shit was over and the joys of tormenting a sibling could begin. I had to tread lightly with Jasper in that respect because he had a ten foot pole up his ass, but this little one, she could take it as good as she gave.

When she reappeared a few minutes later I cocked a brow at her selection. It was simple enough, a pair of tear away pants and a hoodie but I was more curious as to how the hell she thought they were going to stay on. When she handed them to me, I snorted at the shoe string that was with them, "You're serious?"

She nodded and explained, "You always talk about blending in and, while I might not remember it personally, snow means it's fucking cold. I can't really get away with only wearing your underwear now can I?" She had a point.

Shrugging a little, I helped her into the pants and had her hold them in place as I wrapped the string from an old pair of boots around her hips and tying it as tight as I could without breaking it. Once they were secured, I rolled the top over the sting and cocked my head; it'll work for now. Plus they were long enough to cover her bare feet so that wouldn't raise any brows. After slipping the hoodie over her head, I grabbed an extra coat from the closet and held it open for her.

Once she was dressed and ready, I put on my shoes, grabbed my own coat and led her out into the world. I wasn't overly worried. If there was something about this trip I needed to know, I would. I didn't think anything would go wrong. This wasn't a huge city so any missteps on her part could be covered with little hassle; I just didn't want her to know that.

When we got to the dealership, I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her right up against my side. To the humans we looked like a couple buying a car. To another vampire, it was what it was, an older vampire restraining a younger one with no experience around humans. I looked down at her when she pressed even harder to me and brought her sleeve covered hand over her nose and mouth. She was fast enough that no one would have seen it, but I saw the waterfall of venom dripping down her chin. With the hand that wasn't covering her face she gripped my forearm around her waist. She was shaking and a constant quiet growl was going in her chest, so hard in fact that she was actually vibrating from it.

I dipped my head and whispered for her that holding her breath would make this a little easier. It wouldn't do much once a human was right in front of her, but it would do enough to keep her from snapping.

It was also something that didn't need to be worried about. As my eye scanned the lot, they widened a little before a smile lifted my lips. Telling her stay calm I called out, "Hey, Garrett."

The other vampire on the other side of the lot snapped his head to look my direction, his own eyes a little wide. I hadn't seen him in thirty years and this was nearly the last place I ever thought I was going to. His eyes then slid to the Little Lady in my arms and excused himself from the conversation he was having, waving off a different, HUMAN salesmen as he came over.

After a quick handshake He turned to Iz, as she decided to go by for the time being, his eyes soft and understanding. "How old is she?"

I glanced at her as she snarled at him, giving her a squeeze to tell her to knock it off, "A week."

He nodded and glanced over his shoulder, "Perhaps it would be easier if we got her in a place that is not so saturated with humans. Having seen the kind of shit you drive, I know what you're here for. Let's get her inside and give her a little break. I have some bags in my office."

Oh thank fuck, that would certainly help. As we followed him inside, I tightened my grip on Iz and pulled her with us, sticking up a light conversation that if overheard wouldn't be paid attention too. "What the hell are you doing here?"

He just shrugged, "boredom, pure and simple. If there was something else going on I assure you I would turn tail and run as far and as fast I fucking could. As it is, I was tired of the mundane and needed something to focus on for a little while." Then he looked over my shoulder, "You didn't think it was for the money, did you?"

I snorted and shook my head as he reached a closed door, opening it and holding a hand out for up to enter first. Garrett was a rich son of a bitch, having come from it with he was human and living as long as he has. Once we were inside, he looked around the floor before closing and locking the door, using his foot to slide something over the crack at the bottom. It wouldn't keep the baby in, but it would keep the humans out. I drug Iz over to one of the chairs and pushed her into a sitting position and putting a hand on either shoulder to keep her there while Garrett went around the desk and took a seat.

He reached under the top and opened one of the drawers, pulling out a shiny stainless steel thermos and held it out to her. She looked at it like it was going to kill her making him smile a little wider before chuckling. "It is nothing untold, Young Lady. This is three pints of the finest." When she blinked at him he elaborated, "AB positive; my personal favorite." Then he winked at her, "You look thirsty."

Then the dumbfuck opened it.

Even as ready as I was for her reaction to the smell of fresh human blood, I wasn't able to stop it. She snarled and ripped out of my grip, catching the retarded vampire off guard as she dove at him and what he had that she wanted. By the time my brain caught up to the scene before me, Iz was sitting on a surprised Garrett's chest going to town on the crushed thermos, her growls turning to purrs as the fire in her throat was doused.

I just looked at them a moment before crossing my arms and glaring at Garrett, "Are you fucking retarded? Like, seriously, are you trying to get killed?" He went to move and she bared her teeth a little and growled a lot. I just smirked, "Well, you're stuck until she's done. If you do anything she will hurt you. For as small as she is, the bitch has one hell of a nasty right hook; cracked my cheek the day she woke up. Hope you're comfortable, she takes a while."

With that, I sat down on one of the chairs and grabbed a list of trucks on the lot and gave them a once over, picking out the one I was leaving with. I ended up not being able to decide between a pickup and a new SUV. It would come down to seeing it in person. I didn't do test drives anymore and I couldn't with Iz with me anyways, that would be mean.

Once she decided she was done with the thermos, she growled at Garrett once last time before coming to sit with me. She plopped her butt in my lap and was looking at the list in my hands, a funny look on her face. When I asked her what was up she shook her head, "What are you getting?"

"Well, I am between this truck here and this SUV."

"Get the SUV. If you need more room for cargo you can always take the seats out but you can't add seating to a truck." Good point. Then she continued, "Don't get black or red. Black is too depressing and red draws too much attention. You should get blue or silver."

I chucked, "Any reason for those colors, Sugar?"

She shrugged, "They suit you. You're fun and silver reflects that but you have this dark and mysterious vibe going on so a dark blue would fit that. You know, I kinda remember being told once that a guy's car is an extension of themselves so it should reflect you." Then she giggled, "I would have said pink but…"

I covered her mouth and cocked a brow, "Stop, right there." Turning to Garrett, I tossed the list on the desk and pointed to the SUV, "I'll take it in blue."

He nodded as his eyes showed his amusement to our battle; "Anything for her?"

I shook my head, "Naw, not this time. We'll get her something in a few more months once she has a little more control over herself." I felt her smirk into my hand and looked at her out of the corner of my eye, "Don't even think about it, Youngen." At that she just giggled.

Garrett snorted as he pulled out the papers for my new car. "You two look awfully close. Did you turn her for mating purposes Peter? I had heard about the loss of the lovely Charlotte."

Iz growled into my hand at the question, her change still being a sore spot for her and I just shook my head choosing to ignore the boiling rage that sentence provoked. It was because of shit like that the bitch was dead. "I'm not her sire. I found her near the end of her rebirth just north of my place, and no, she's not my mate." Looking at her as she became silent, "You alright, Sugar?

She looked at me and I dropped my hand, "What's a mate?"

"Vampire spouse; or something similar to it anyways." She nodded at that but didn't say anything else. She just started staring off into space as I signed the paperwork for my truck and Garrett got my keys.

Leaving his office was much the same as it was when we went in, Iz was latched onto my arm but she was a little calmer since she got some blood in her. When she started growling it was more out of the proximity of another vampire than it was hunger this time. After getting her in the car and the door closed, I turned to Garrett and reached to shake his hand. "Good seeing ya, Man. We're at my place up north for the duration of her first year. Feel free to stop by whenever; just make sure you let me know you're coming so I can warn her. I wasn't kidding when I said she's got a nasty right hook and I won't stop her from defending her home. I like you and all, but that would be counterproductive in raising her to be on her own at some point."

He glanced over his shoulder at the baby that was glaring at him with a smirk on her lips. I don't know how that was possible but it was; and let me tell ya, FUCKING HOT with a capital FUCK. It was comparable to the look she gets on her face when she talks about her memories. They were still mostly out of her reach and as the days pass they got farther and farther away from her grasp but I am becoming convinced that that might be for the best in the long run. I didn't know everything and hopefully never will, but the pure and raw anger she seems to drown in tells me that it wasn't pretty and most likely is going to piss me off. While she has only been with me for a week, like I said before, she's as close to a kid sister I have ever had and due to that, I am a little over protective of the little shit.

However, if Garrett thought I missed that little tremor that ran his spine at the sight of her face, he was out of his ever loving mind. Fucking pussy. I pressed my lips together to smother my own smirk when he turned back to look at me.

"Yes, I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Wouldn't want to give her a reason to try and kill me."

I snorted, "awe hell; that little lady is a doll baby once you get on her good side. I'm sure once she gets used to you, you'll learn that she isn't always all… bitey. That being said however, I'm positive her teeth are just as sharp as ours so, remember to call. Also, keep in mind every lady loves presents."

He nodded as he cocked his head to the side, "What all do you have on the agenda today?"

I looked up at the sky as I crossed my arms, "post office to get the clothing she ordered, the hardware store to get a set of doors to replace the wall she broke and after that the liquor store to replace my stock of booze she drank. Nothing overly taxing if she stays in the truck with the windows up. Why, wanna tag along?"

He nodded, "I was thinking about it. Not much going on here and it has been awhile since I have been involved with a brand new newborn. It isn't like you couldn't use the help. There will be times that you need to do something that she cannot be with you."

Now I did smirk at him, "You haven't been involved in raising a baby in over ninety years and I know you haven't done it that it wasn't being raised like we were." Then I glared, "She will not be raised that way, I won't allow it. I plan on teaching her basic defense but battle tactics and strategies are banned from her repertoire. Do I make myself absolutely fucking clear?"

I am beginning to think he might have muscle damage with all the spasms he's had in the last ten minutes. He knew I wasn't fucking around. While I had no aversion to an extra hand with her upbringing, she was mine and ain't no one gonna train her to be a monster. While she was a normal newborn and acted as such, there were other ways to deal with her losing her temper and stopping a tantrum that didn't involve her getting tortured or bitten to shit. I might be proud of my scars, every one of them showed that I was a survivor, that I had lived hell and I wasn't one to fuck with, that was in the past and it was gonna fucking stay there. However, in this instance, being who I was worked well in my favor. To him, right at this moment I wasn't his friend Peter, I was the Southern Captain and I would END him if he fucked with my baby girl. As I said, I was a might overprotective of that baby and I had no problems killing, maiming or destroying anyone that fucked with her.

He cleared his throat and nodded to my terms, "Yes Sir, Captain. This is your show, I just thought I would offer a little extra help where needed."

Glaring at him a little, I looked over at the curious little lady looking at me with her head cocked to the side, waiting to see how I was going to answer. She didn't look opposed to the idea but she didn't look accepting of it either. She knew that I was running the overall show as far as she was concerned but she also knew that I would never put her in danger.

After giving it a moment thought, I nodded as I turned back to Garrett. "As long as you understand that I am her primary 'parent' and what I fucking say goes, I have no issues with this. However, I swear to God Garrett, you do anything that I don't approve of or she doesn't like, I will rip your dick off and shove it down your throat."

He once again gave a nod in consent. "I give me a moment to grab a few things out of my office."

I leaned against the car as he went inside to take care of whatever it was he needed to do and Iz cleared her throat knowing that I would hear her just fine. Once I looked her direction, she raised a brow at me, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

I nodded, "I have known this guy for a long ass time, Iz. I trust him and you somewhat trust me. Plus he had a valid point. While you don't get massively out of hand, if you did it is better to have a little backup to save us from a large problem. You're still really young as far as our kind goes and have a long way to go and a long road in front of you learning to control your strength and thirst and other senses. Raising a newborn is a difficult process and something that cannot be done by just one person. There are still a lot of unknowns when it comes to you, Sugar and another set of hands and eyes will make it easier to both raise you right and deal with anything that might crop up in the future."

She pouted a little during my explanation. "I thought we kinda had a good thing going."

I sighed a little before going around the car and climbing in beside her. She shifted her position a little and put her feet on the dash before she started to pick a few threads that had come loose on my pants. I leaned against the door and faced her as I waited for Garrett to hurry his ass up. Biting my lip a little, I thought about how to best explain this to her. After a moment I decided to be blunt as always. It seemed to work better than sugarcoating anything with her, "We do, but there is a lot yet you still don't know and, while I'm good, I'm not perfect. I will forget things as far as explaining things to you, not think to explain them or won't know how to do so properly for an array of reasons. Like I said, raising a baby is not something that is wise to undertake alone. We have a great thing goin' and I wouldn't change it if I didn't think that it was necessary."

She looked over at me a long moment before she nodded, seeming to understand what I was trying to convey. We had a great relationship as far as things with newborns go and I really didn't want to change the retinue we established but it was a necessity to do so for many reasons; reasons I had every intention of discussing as soon as we got home.


	5. Chapter 5

After Garrett joined us in the truck and we did the errands that needed done, we returned to the house. I told Iz to take her clothing to the room she took over as hers while Garrett and I installed the doors and put the liquor away. She was allowed to get a bottle of beer but she knew better than to touch that. If she wanted a hard drink, I made it for her in a mug she couldn't break. Shit was a bitch to replace at the time so in order to avoid leaving her on her own to restock; she was just told not to touch.

Once all that was seen to and while Iz was still in her room, Garrett and I sat down and discussed the situation as I knew it, leaving out the Cullen involvement that I knew about, and worked together forming a plan as to how to figure out who she was as a human and whether or not we needed to plot her death or if we could simply let her vanish off the planet. Out of everything about her, this was the most annoying and frustrating aspect. All I needed was her last fucking name and I could find out everything I needed to know, but that one detail, the ONLY thing I needed, was lost to her change and gone forever.

I told him about my theory about her being on that plane that crashed and while he agreed that it would be the easiest way, we both knew that easy wasn't practical to count on. Chances were there was a huge fucking search party hunting her little ass down and there was no way for us to find out because, again, we didn't have her last name. I was SO close to telling him that the veggie vamps knew her and could tell us, but I was positive that he would agree that involving them with her so young and hostel was a bad idea. There was no telling what seeing them would do to her; if her memories would slam back like a wrecking ball or if it would leave her in an overly awkward situation where they knew her and she didn't know shit about them. Not that the awkwardness would last long. The moment any of them tried to touch her she would beat the shit out of 'em.

After telling him the little she remembered, again omitting the Cullens for now, I explained how things have been running in my house and how they were going to continue to run. Just because there was another body and point of view on things, things weren't going to change. Routine was demanded with dealing with a newborn and straying off the beaten path with one wouldn't do us any favors. All it would do was confuse her and a confused newborn is a dangerous newborn. She had enough to process at the moment with just the added body and I didn't want her overtaxed or overwhelmed with too much too soon. Once she got used to Garrett constantly being around, then we would see about a deviation, but until then, we were simply going to work on her getting used to more than just me. This was normally something that you waited to do for a little while if the youngen wasn't immediately introduced to more than one person, but, eh, it is what it is and I didn't see anything wrong with testing boundaries.

If it proved to be too much for her, we would take her cue and go from there, but I have every faith that she would be fine. It would just take her a few days and everything would fall back into its proper place.

Once he was brought up to speed and knew everything I knew, or most of it, we moved on to making a game plan. He knew I wasn't telling him everything, I knew that, but I also knew he wasn't going to call me out on it. I told him that we were doing this shit my way so he knew that if I wasn't telling him something there was a reason for it. We went a little further in depth about the plane crash and I told him everything I knew about it, where it was coming from and its final destination and where it went down. I couldn't tell him what made it crash because I didn't know that yet. It was my assumption however, that her sire had something to do with it and after I told him about what she said when she first woke up, he agreed that was the most likely possibility.

After he knew what I knew about it, he grew quiet for a few minutes, soaking it in and thinking it though. After that he finally looked at me, "I have an old contact in the area of England that the plane took off from that owes me a favor. Let me give him a call and see if I can't get the passenger list and see if the young lady is on it. If nothing else, it will give us a better picture of what we are looking at and see if we can rule something out. I cannot believe there would be more than one Isabella on it and even if there is, we can rule them each out fairly easily, I would think."

I nodded to him and while he was doing that, I went to check on Iz since she never came to join us like I thought she would. When I knocked on her door and opened it on her permission, I found her sitting on her bed with her knees to her chest and arms around her shins, staring into space. Moving across the room and taking a seat next to her, I nudged her with my shoulder, snapping her back to the room. "What's up, Sugar?"

She looked over at me a moment before shrugging a light shoulder, "I was thinking about something that your friend asked back at the dealership."

I cocked a brow at her, "He said a lot back there. What were you thinking about exactly?"

She laid her cheek on her knee and looked at me, her eyes burning with curiosity. "When he asked about our relationship you smelled different, spicier I guess. I was trying to figure out why. In the last week I have smelled all kinds of things different about you and it never affected me. That though, the spice in your scent made me so fucking happy I no longer have to worry about pissing myself. I have never really been scared of you, other than the first time I saw you, but I was more than a little freaked out. What was that?"

I sighed hard at that while rubbing my face with my hands, giving myself a moment to prepare for this conversation. It never did anything but piss me off. Swallowing a growl, I looked at her, "Over time you'll learn what different emotions smell like. What you smelled on me was pure pissed off. The topic of mates, especially Charlotte, make my venom boil."

She bit her lip and looked like she really didn't want to ask but her curiosity was too strong for her to ignore, as I knew it would be, so when she asked, "Who's Charlotte" and "What happened" I was more or less prepared for it, I just wasn't ready to get into it.

Shaking my head a little, I looked at her, "Not now, alright? We'll get into it later, you have my word. I just, right now is not the time to talk about that. Garrett is working on a lead right now to find out who you are and that, for the moment, needs to be the focus in case other plans need to be made. Faking a death and covering tracks takes time and attention to detail that I will not be capable of if we go too far down that road. Let's get you squared away and then you and I will sit down with a bottle and I'll tell you all about it; sound good?"

Her eyes lit up at the offer of hard alcohol so I knew her agreement was certain. I didn't need to take her hunting tonight since while I was in the hardware store Garrett took out a withdraw from the blood bank. With a hefty amount of bagged blood in the house, we could focus on the task at hand with no interruptions. I was dreading the discussion I just promised to have, but I would keep my word if for no other reason that I never broke it. My word was my bond and honor and it would stay that way until I was ash in the wind.

I thought about that as I pulled Iz to her feel and drug her behind me into the living room. After a second, I shrugged off the guilt that threatened to surface for a moment. I wasn't actually breaking my word by not calling Jasper yet because one; I never actually promised I would and also this really didn't have anything to do with them. From the little I was able to gather, they bailed leaving her to her fate against a vengeance seeking vampire so they were not actually affected by this. I was because she would have woken up in my territory making her MY responsibility, not theirs; not anymore.

That settled, I shoved her little ass on the couch and went to get her a drink to keep her calm until she got a little more used to Garrett's presence. I could smell her unease and her desire to make a new friend warring against her; both actions perfectly understandable. She didn't know him yet so she saw him as a threat to her life because he also had scars from his stent in the southern wars, but vampires are, to a point, social creatures when it comes to other vampire. We instinctively know that making contacts and friends with others will help us in the future if we get into a position that requires help or if we are in unfamiliar territory. It was harder for newborns to understand and follow our natural instincts because they didn't understand them fully and self-preservation was something that we always took to first because we were self-serving by nature. She knew that Garrett was a good vampire to know on a basic level but because of his appearance, much like mine, she was skeptical and paranoid.

While Garrett hadn't been exposed to a baby as young as her since he was a soldier, it was that knowledge that told him what he could or couldn't do to not set her off. A pissed off newborn was a bitch to deal with on neutral territory, but this was her home and for all intents and purposes, he was a trespasser and would be until SHE decided otherwise. I could vouch for him until I was blue in the face but until she learned she could trust him on his own merit, she would be standoffish, skittish and on her full guard until he proved himself to her on whatever scale she decided was necessary. It could take minutes, it could take months; it all depended on her. With how stubborn she was, I was betting on the latter or somewhere close to it. I got lucky; I was there from the beginning to help her. He was new and babies don't like new.

Walking back into the room, I saw her about ready to pounce on him and him looking ready to piss himself. Flashing across the room, I caught her around the waist on her lunge, barely avoiding her teeth in the process. I have been lucky so far and not gotten bit and I would be good and god damned if I got bit because of him. Maneuvering her behind me so I was between them I held her to my back and glared at Garrett, "You have only been here for an hour asshole. What the fuck did you do?"

He was looking slightly wide eyed at her, shaking his head, "I don't know. All I did was go to stand up."

My glare darkened, "Did you move too fast or lean towards her?" His widening eyes answered that making my sigh, "Jesus, dude, you have to watch your step here. If I get bit because of you I'm gonna be pissed. This really might have been a bad idea. Besides your time in the army, how young was the last baby you've been around?"

He scratched his eyebrow before blinking, "About six months, give or take."

I cocked a brow, "There is a little bit of a different between six months and six days. The little lady here is an INFANT. Do try and keep that shit in mind next time. I won't stop her again and she will kick your ass." Looking over my shoulder at the bared teeth and waterfall of venom, I shook my head knowing that Garrett had no idea just how close he came to losing his. Looking back at Garrett, "Go make her another drink and for fucks sake use your damn head."

Once Garrett was out of the room I turned to the newborn at my back, lifting her chin with the side of a crooked finger, "Hey there youngen, you settle down now. Ain't nothin' or no one gonna hurt you while I'm around." Her eyes flashed a little but she took a deep breath and slowly but surely relaxed back down and loosened up a bit.

Once the red reseeded for her vision and her eyes started to lose the black and turned red, she sighed a little and crossed her arms as she looked away, "sorry."

I shook my head as I tapped her chin to get her eyes back on me, "You ain't got shit to sorry about, ya hear? Garrett is plenty old enough to know better than to startle a newborn. You however, are too young yet to know how to decipher the movements of another vampire. You were right in this case. You didn't know what was goin' on and reacted just as you should have. While I know that guy, you don't and as far as you knew, he could have been attacking as easily as anything else. You don't ever apologize for following that gut of yours because sometimes that is all that is going to save your little ass from danger. While I will always be there for you, I might not always be there to help you at the exact time it is needed."

At that last sentence she tensed back up and venom flooded her eyes, "You mean you're going to leave me?"

I shook my head, "That's not what I said. Listen Sugar, I will never turn you away and I will never walk away from you but when you get older and more used to this life, you might find that you want to leave and strike out on your own, find your place in this big ol' world and I will never stop you from doing that. Yes, you and I will be spending a lot of time together in the next year or two but during that time, it is my responsibility to make sure that you know the ways of this life so that should you decide that you want to go on your own for a bit, you are capable of doing so. You want to hang out with me for the next few decades, I ain't got a problem with that, but eventually you're going to want more than just me. You're going to want things that I can't give you and there ain't shit wrong with that. I just want you to know that as long as you are with me, ain't no one gonna touch you without going through me first."

She blinked a few times before taking a deep breath, "but, I thought…"

I smiled at her, "Sugar, eventually you're going to want a different kind of companionship than I'm willing to give you. You're hot and all and any guy would be lucky to know your affections, but Darlin', that won't be me; not without more booze than the planet has to offer and if I'm being honest, chances are that I would fuck up any dude that made a half ass decent pass at you. Believe me, there ain't any big brother or father in the world that would hold a candle to what I would to do a guy that gave you a look I didn't like. For that, you're going to have not be here, not if you actually like the guy anyways."

She smiled a little once she caught on to what I was trying to say without actually saying it. Most of it was true, but some of it, not really. Yes, I would fuck up a little bastard that made an unwanted pass at her or if I didn't think they were good enough for her, but if she actually like the guy and I couldn't find anything about him that I didn't, I wouldn't turn either of them away. They would have to fuck outside or in the little guest house out back because I highly doubt I would be able to listen to it, but I wouldn't tell her she couldn't stay here for a while, especially if the guy wanted her to be his mate.

Well, THAT would be up for debate because no mother fucker was doing that without my approval first. The little dick head would do it right too and ask my permission BEFORE he made those intentions clear to her and that is something that she will know when the time comes. I have a really good feeling that whoever it is that is going to claim her is going to piss me off but really; there would be nothing I could do to stop it. A true mating bond causes the female excruciating pain if it is denied or ignored and that was something that I wasn't going to bestow on her just because the guy was an asshole or I didn't like him. Guys tend to take having something that belongs to us kept from or taken from us very personally and we were not above dirty fighting to get what we perceived as ours. When dealing with our mates, we would kill anyone that stood between us and them and it didn't matter to us one way or another who it was.

My ex-wife, the coldblooded cunt she was, was mine, even if she wasn't my actual mate and I tend to take it personal that she was giving out what was only mine to have. Char was an absolutely beautiful woman and she knew it. She was one of those little whores that could make a man literally do whatever she wanted them to with no effort on her part. A fluttered eyelash and tiny smile and the poor bastards were putty in her hands. I was a lot like Jasper was at first; letting it go because I knew it wasn't permanent and we would one day part ways and that would be that. As long as it stayed in the dark and out of my direct line of sight, I left it alone. I even gave her a pass the first time I caught her with another man's dick in her mouth after torching the fucker, alive, right in front of her with the warning that if I caught her again, she would go the same way.

She wasn't smart enough to heed the warning however and like I said, I am a man of my word. I come home early from a week in Vegas with Jasper on my heels and what do we walk into; Char's little fun house. I am still curious how she planned on removing all of those scents from the house before I got home, but the point is moot. Jasper detained everyone that was downstairs to be dealt with later while I went in hunt of my loving wife to have a little word with her.

She never saw me coming. 'Course, it's a little hard to see shit with your head buried in a pussy with a big ass mother fucker hitting it from behind blocking your view of the door. I probably would have simply watched the show had it only been the chick with her, but since that was not the case I watched a completely different one. I definitely got my love of fire from my sire, no question about it. I tossed my zippo next to the bed and leaned on the door frame as I watched the frilly shit she insisted on catch and ignite, the whole bed becoming engulfed in flames in a matter of seconds; to fast apparently for any of the three to realize what was going on before they were encased with thick black smoke and flames.

The big fucker tried to get out but I wasn't about to let that shit happen. He came barreling towards the door like lit match and I kicked him in the chest, sending him flying back into the wall of flames. I let the woman that was my lovely wife's meal pass me though knowing that Jasper would see to her; probably use her to light the rest of the house. Charlotte however, used the window to try and get to the pool and douse the fire that was burning away her stone flesh and melting her beauty away showing on the outside what she looked like on the inside.

I followed her step for step outside, passive and uncaring as she pulled her scorched and charred body out of the water. Her once long and full blonde hair that went down passes her hips was completely gone, nothing left of my personal favorite aspect of her; It was now nothing black fuzz attached to her scalp. There was no other way to describe her skin than to call it patchwork from hell gone wrong. Some places there wasn't even skin anymore. You could see down to the muscles or even to the bones in places.

I just stood there as she got to her foot, yes FOOT. I wasn't sure what happened to the other one but I also didn't give a shit. When she lifted her head to see what the fuck was going on, I was reminded of Two-Face from the Batman movies. I think she was trying to look pissed off but she just looked ridiculous. I smiled and waved at her. I didn't a have a single thing to say to her. I had no desire to hear her try and talk her way out of the trouble she was in and I no desire to try and move past this with her. I told her exactly what was going to happen to her if she pulled this shit again and that was exactly what was going to happen.

She stared at me and I at her for a moment, a century of memories flashing before my eyes and I felt nothing but anger and resentment. I didn't see a single thing in that moment that made me feel bad for this and nothing to make me wish I could take it back. All it did was made me regret letting her put herself out.

I could feel the heat of the fire in the house at my back, hear the giggles from the demented vampire as he set every square inch of the house that wasn't on fire aflame and smell the venom as it bubbled and burned. In the dark eyes of the woman scorched I could see the flames as that began to take over the exterior of the house and the smoke begin to rise. We had about a half hour or so before the humans showed up to see what was going on, plenty enough time for a house of vampires to be nothing to worry about. Done properly, a vampfire is done and gone in about ten minutes leaving nothing but the flames to tell it was ever a pry to begin with. Since Jasper was involved, I knew that it would be perfection. That son of a bitch lived for that kind of shit.

Once Char grasped the situation at hand, I watched her eyes begin to swirl with thoughts and plans because she knew that she was done and was about to die. She was trying to figure out how to take me with her in one last bitch act. She never was very good at just accepting her punishments with dignity and poise. She always acted like she was too cool for school and all that and everything else, but she was self-serving little bitch, as all vampires are, and if you told her no or questioned her on her behavior, she tried to take you out. Honestly, she tried to act like a male but couldn't live up to the role.

Since I knew what she was about to do, even without my gift because the cunt was predictable, I was ready with the counter to the bumrush. With a simple sidestep and well placed foot in the middle of her back, she was once again in the house, once again on fire and once again on her way to true death. This time however, she wasn't getting put out again. While Jasper doesn't really get hands on when it comes to females and deaths like this, he figured the same thing I did and treated her like the male she wanted to be.

It didn't take a whole lot of time to finish the massacre and by the time that the humans showed up, there was nothing to find but a huge house with shooting flames. Jasper and I were lazing in tree watching the show as they tried to put out a fire that was fueled by vampire venom laughing our asses off. It wasn't an impossible fire to put out but it wasn't easy and funnier than shit to watch someone that didn't know what they were dealing with try and attempt it.

Being that this happened before the times of cell phones and internet, it was a couple of weeks later that I received the news that my family's estate that I 'inherited' was found burnt to the ground, the cause being a gas leak that was sparked in the kitchen. They told me that they assumed that the leak was going on for a decent amount of time for the damage that was done and cut me a big ass check because not only had the house burnt down to the foundation, a good portion of the land itself had been torched and destroyed.

I have yet to build anything on the land, allowing the vegetation to regrow and flourish for the last couple of decades. The foundation was the only thing I dealt with and that was just to collapse it and fill it back in so when I got around to it, the ground was ready for a new construction. I would get around to it eventually, but right now, I just didn't give a shit. It was overgrown and the wildlife moved in and I doubt I would ever really want to live in that area again. I still own the land and always will but at the moment, it was a preserve and I was fine with that.

The memory of the day I killed my ex-wife only took a second so I didn't think that Iz had the time to react to my shift in mood before Garrett returned with a pitcher of something and a couple of glasses and a metal mug for her. After pouring and passing out the first round, we all sat down and got back to the matter at hand, was Isabella on the passenger list?

Garrett grabbed my laptop and after a moment, set in on the table and turned it to face us but looked at her, "there were three Isabella's on that plane but so far only one has been found. They are still trying to identify a few body parts but they are not overly hopeful that there will be a match to either lady. The Isabella that was found is a Miss. Isabella Paluch. The ones that were not yet located are a Miss. Isabella Murphy and the other is a Miss. Isabella Swan. Here are the passport photos of the three young ladies."

Iz and I looked at the screen and we both saw the same thing at the same moment. It was the best fucking thing that we could have hoped for. She didn't even slightly resemble any of the three young ladies so if she was one of them, no one would ever know.

I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye and saw her looking at the pictures with a thoughtful look on her face, searching her memories for a time that she looked in the mirror to find out if she was one of the two missing ones or even the one that was identified. It took her some time, but she finally bit her lip and pointed to the screen, "That one. I'm not positive, but I might be her."

Garrett and I looked at the picture she was pointing at then at her then back to the screen a few times, looking for similarities between the human photo and vampire version. The key markers were there; hair color and overall bone structure, but it was so different that it was really a coin toss whether or not she really was Isabella Swan.

Before we put any effort into this, Garrett and I asked her a wide range of questions to try and jog her memory and pull a defined answer from her. It took us nearly an hour to jump start her mind and bring a vision of her in the mirror from her human life and make it clear enough for her to say with positivity that she was in fact Miss. Swan and was considered missing and presumed dead. All I could say at that point was thank fucking god because had she not been on that plane, we never would have found out who she was because she didn't look anything like she did as a human.


	6. Chapter 6

Once we knew without a doubt who she was, Garrett and I began to work out how to let the human world know she was gone without giving them a body to prove it. I knew they weren't hopeful of finding one, not with all the wildlife and the weather and other variables working against them but I also knew that they were not going to stop looking for her for at least the next month. Even with as far from the crash as I found her it was only a matter of time before they found something because they were beginning to pan out farther because of how big the crash site was. I found her over a hundred miles from the site but we weren't that far here at the house.

In the end, we came up with a fairly decent plan of execution. It was simple and easy, down and dirty. I still had her clothing from when she woke knowing that I was going to need it to kill her once I found out who the fuck she was since that was always the easiest way to kill a human off in their eyes. By now the bodies that were taken by the local wildlife would no longer be identifiable or even testable as far as the normal labs go because of a wide range of reasons. All we needed to do was plant the clothing in an area that they haven't searched yet. There was blood on them that would identify her and were in such a horrible state of fucked up that they would call her dead and gone without a body.

Iz was concerned about our proximity to the place we were going to kill her at, and after a little talk about it, we figured that it would be fine. If it came down to it, we could clear out in an hour and make it look like the place has been empty for the twenty years that it was. It would still be a couple of weeks before she was declared dead and in that time, I wanted her to get her new identity just to make sure that all our basis were covered for any eventuality. I wasn't concerned about the humans; I was concerned about the Cullen's. Jasper knew that I had a house out here, and I was slightly worried about them doing an investigation on their own once they found out their human was dead.

We spent a little time talking about new names for her since we knew for a fact that Isabella Swan was dead, she needed something else. It was easy enough to get her to change it since she hated the name anyways. She really liked the nickname Iz and about strangled me in gratitude when I told her that Iz could be used as a nickname for Elizabeth. She told me to pick her last name, not really caring about a surname. I was overly tempted to give her mine but at the same time, I use Jasper's given name and that could be a can of worms that needn't be opened. In the end, I couldn't think of one and decided that I would deal with it if I had to and made the call to my guy and get her new identity as Elizabeth Nicole Whitlock started. It would be ready to be picked up in five days. The package would consist of a driver's license with a picture I took with my phone, birth certificate, school records, bank accounts, credit cards, literally anything I could think of that a twenty-two year old human would have.

The days that passed after the discovery of who she was, were about how I figured they would be. Though Garrett tried to lend a hand here and there, Iz really didn't like him for some reason and refused to be alone with him. The few times it happened a fight broke out and I was left sorting it out. It wasn't anything that he was doing, it was just she didn't like him. She never said why, or what her problem with him was and chances are, she didn't know, but she hated him and wanted him to know it. He took it as it was though, and didn't back down from her, something that she took offence to for whatever reason.

Also over those days, we planted her clothing and more or less closed the door on that. There was nothing else we could do but wait and see if it worked, but I knew it was going to so I simply put it out of my mind for now.

When it came time to go pick up Iz's new identity, I sent Garrett to get it so they weren't on their own while I was gone. Had that happened I was pretty sure my house would have been turned into rubble in the hour I would have been gone. I had a sense of apprehension that day but I couldn't figure out why that was and wouldn't until Garrett returned but I will say this, had I known the reaction she was going to have to her name, I would have put a little more thought into it.

She flipped the fuck out.

Whatever dam that was around her memories was blasted to fuck and back the moment I showed her her ID. No, not all of her memories came back, and no they were not clear, but she got enough back to know where the name came from and who it belonged to. It wasn't however, Jasper that was the reason for her anger; he was just the gateway to the real reason because of association.

In ten minutes she managed to destroy nearly all of the first floor; walls, furniture, trinkets, knickknacks, you name, she broke it while ranting and damning one particular Cullen. All she could remember about it was the end of the relationship. She had seen it once before but there was no connection to it, no emotions that were real enough to her. The broken memory from before was now in painful detail; every word that was said, every feeling she felt, it all played out for her and she reacted accordingly really. She was pissed and with good reason from what I was hearing.

Once I got her detained and was able to stop her path of destruction and settled to the point that I could talk to her, I began to walk her though it to see what all she recalled. Come to find out, not a lot. She couldn't recall the names of the others or their faces. All she remembered was Edward, and only the memory in the woods. She recalled knowing what he was, that he was leaving and didn't want her anymore, that she wasn't 'good for him', whatever the fuck that meant.

After she completely ran out of steam, I tried to figure out how she made the connection between Whitlock and Edward since there was never a point that he used Whitlock. She couldn't answer that, there was still a multitude of bridges that hadn't connected, she just knew that there was a connection between that name and 'the stupid ass ramming fuckwit'.

It was then her turn to interrogate me. She glared at me over her shoulder, "Did you know?"

I shook my head, "No. I knew they had a human, yes; but I was never told anything about you that could have been used to identify you as her. I was never told your actual name or what you looked like. I was only told of events that occurred, and not even that in a few years. Also, I have nothing to do with the coven in a while. Jasper, the one that the surname actually belongs to, is my sire."

I let her go and turned her to face me, her glare still in place and not looking like it was going anywhere, and crossed my arms. "Also, you saw the picture of your human self. Even if I had that information, you didn't remember your name and you look nothing like you used to."

Her hip jutted out and one brow rose, "Did you have any idea that I might have been her?"

I shrugged, "Sure, but this is something that needed to be an absolute certainty and it wasn't. I didn't see a reason to bring it up because I couldn't back it up. Even now you don't remember anything overly substantial to the lot of them, only that they left, but not the reason that it happened."

She huffed a little and looked away as she thought about that. After a minute she looked back, her lips thinned and her eyes darkened, "You're not going to tell them about me now are you?"

I shook my head, "Nope. Not a chance. There are too many unknowns, and until they come to light, I'm not involving them. There might be a point that it happens, I won't lie about that, but it won't be through any choice I make." I don't think anyways. One never knows what choices are intercepted by that little mutant midget though. I could make the TINIEST little choice that involved making Jasper's life a little more interesting and she will pounce on it like a fucking cat.


	7. Chapter 7

Iz was reaching her first month and by all accounts was doing quite well. It had taken her most of that to get over whatever aversion she had to Garrett and could now be left alone with him without a fight. She still preferred me over him, but in a pinch she would play nice and behave herself, if I said she had too anyways. If it slipped my mind before leaving her alone, she would snip and snap at him but she wasn't out to kill him anymore.

Also over that time I have become like stupid over protective of her. While I would leave her alone with Garrett when I had to go hunt, the moment I was through the door she was at my side and stuck there for a while. After I took her hunting, I kicked Garrett out of the house while she got cleaned up. I flat out couldn't stand the idea of him anywhere near her while she was unclothed. The mere thought actually made me want to kill him my damn self. The more comfortable she got around him the less I seemed to want him around. I had a relatively good idea what was going on, but for now I refused to acknowledge it because things were complicated enough at the moment and that would only add issues that were not needed.

That all started the day that her clothing was found and she was added to the confirmed dead list from the plane crash. The moment I saw that she was no longer being looked for and was now completely and fully mine for as long as she decided she wanted to hang around, I started to feel less like that brother I tried to be and more like a bodyguard. She also started to look less like that little sister and more like a really hot little spunk. The more days that passed the less inclined I was to allow her tiny little ass out of my sight. If I was feeling like this towards her only days after she was officially declared dead, I knew there was no way that I could let her go at the end of her newborn year.

Garrett thought this shit was funnier than hell; me, not so fucking much. I like the guy but his amusement at this was going to get him killed. I did however knock his ass into next fucking week yesterday while Iz was in the shower after eating when he decided to bring up our conversation from the car dealership. He had said something to the effect of if I wasn't going to mate her he would. I didn't take to kindly to that and he had to regrow a couple of teeth by the time I was done with him. It would only be over my fucking ashes that that shit happened. There was a twinkle in his eyes that I narrowed mine at as he reattached a couple of fingers, but he dropped the subject and I let him walk away. When Iz asked what happened to him later that night when she saw the damage, he looked at me and I gave him the finger as I told her that Garrett pissed me off and not to worry about it.

At the first month mark, she was also old enough for me to feel comfortable to begin her defense training. I still only planned on teaching her the basics so she could defend herself and not teach her everything I knew. I didn't want her to be a monster like I was raised to be. She was a sweetie and I didn't want that to change. I would make absolute certain that she would never lose a fight if she got in one, but I didn't want her to grow too big for her britches and go looking for a fight either.

I had her against Garrett while I was on the sidelines calling out orders and telling her how to fix her mistakes as she made them so she would feel the difference between the right and wrong way of doing something. She was a quick study and was actually a fairly decent fighter as well. It was probably subconscious on her part, but I had the feeling that she knew how to fight as a human and that knowledge transferred over to this life as well. We had just fallen into a good rhythm when I was doused from head to toe in an unshakable foreboding feeling. My entire body locked, every muscle coiling and freezing at the sensation. I had no idea what caused it but I knew that shit was about to hit the fucking fan and there was no stopping it.

Iz was so attuned to me that the moment I felt that feeling she was on it, stopping mid-attack and whipping around to look at me, her eyes wide and fearful. She had developed the uncanny ability to just know what went through my mind and while she knew I would never allow her to get hurt, she was still just a baby and the unknown was something that she was terrified of.

I was looking off into the distance where I knew the reason for my discomfort was going to come from, trying to figure out what it was when I spoke to Garrett, "Take her inside. I don't know what's up but I don't want her out here when it shows up."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Garrett wrap his arm around her waist to pull her in the house making me suppress a growl at the motion. I told him to take her inside not touch her. Iz however was still looking at me, her bottom lip between her teeth and eyes worried. She looked at Garrett when he touched her but quickly looked back at me, "Peter?"

I looked at my Sugar and winked, "Everything is just fine, Little Lady. You g'on in the house now and I'll be along in a minute." She looked at me a little longer before turning her own eyes on where I was looking a second ago before looking back at me. I just smiled at her, "well g'on, git. You know I ain't gonna let nothing happen here so this ain't nothing for you to be concerned about, Sugar. Go on in the house and behave for me. I give you my word ain't shit gonna happen to me."

She didn't look like she wanted to listen but knew that I wasn't playing around. After another moment, she nodded and turned to go inside with Garrett. Last minute she looked over her shoulder at me, "Be careful Peter."

I nodded at her and watched as she vanished inside with Garrett before turning back to the approaching vampires, crossing my arms. This was not really something I was in the mood to deal with, but I suppose that it was better to get this shit out of the way now opposed to later.

Once the footfalls reached my ears, I moved into a better position for what was coming. I knew that it was going to be interesting but I didn't know why. The moment I got to where I wanted to be, my unannounced guests came over the hilltop. I just stood there with my arms crossed as I waited for them to get a little closer to me. Once they were I called out, "Thanks for the fucking heads up, Asshole. I don't hear from you for six fucking years and you cannot even grace me with a fucking call before you get here? What the hell, man?"

Jasper and his little mutant midget slowed to a jog as they closed that last little distance, him with a smirk on his face and her with a scowl. Bitch. I really hated her and he knew it so why he brings her with him when he does visit I will never understand.

Jasper extended his hand and I took it out of habit, "We were in the area and I caught your scent. It was faster to just show up than it would have been to call."

Dropping his hand and recrossing my arms I shrugged, "I don't drop in on you unannounced. I would appreciate the same the same fucking courtesy from now on, if you don't mind."

He blinked but nodded, "sorry, Jesus. What the hell bug crawled up your ass?"

"I got shit going on right now that is a little delicate. People just showing up out of the fucking woodwork is going to end with someone getting killed and it ain't gonna be me." After he nodded again I jumped tracks, "What the hell are you doing out here anyways?" He had focused on my house and I snapped my finger right in front of his nose pulling his attention back to me, "trust me, there ain't shit in my house that concerns you. Now, how 'bout answering my question; what are you doing here, Jasper?"

He glanced at me before looking back at the house, "We were looking into the discovery of someone that was said to be on that plane that crashed last month when I crossed your scent. I wanted to see if you knew anything about it."

I shrugged, "I heard about it but I don't have any information for you. Unlike you, I don't involve myself with humans unless they're my dinner. Even still, from what I heard there wasn't any survivors so what could you possibly be looking into?"

He finally focused fully on me, "Remember the human I told you about before? She was on the plane and they recently found her. For some fucking reason it was decided that more than that was needed for the others to believe that she was killed so we're here to confirm their findings."

I tisked and shrugged a shoulder, "Sorry man, can't help ya. You never told me her name. If you had when she was alive I might have been able to tell you that shit was going to happen before it did. As it stands, all you told me was to keep an eye out for things that affected your coven. I haven't or I would have called as ordered."

I could see clear as day he didn't believe a word I said and I didn't care. I wasn't lying and he couldn't say I was. As far as I was concerned she didn't have anything to do with them anymore. However, I decided to get the answer that my Sugar was unable to answer for me. "What was she doing on that plane without one of you guys anyways?"

Alice glared at Jasper and he looked a little guilty, not a good look for him. He scratched at his eyebrow with his thumb before shrugging, "I tried to eat her on her birthday a few years back, haven't seen her since; none of us have. Edward decided we were too dangerous to be around her, demanded we leave and we did."

It was physically painful not to punch him in the mouth for the offhanded explanation. I couldn't smother the glare no matter how hard I tried, "If you abandoned her, why are you looking for confirmation of her death? Want to make sure leaving a human alive knowing that we exist don't come back and bite you in the ass? What happened there, Major; get forbidden from following the rules?"

He growled at me as his eyes narrowed, "not cute or funny, Captain. I suggest you watch your step."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, "Not this time. You fucked up Major, and this time I can't help you. I told you I got some shit going on and I ain't putting my neck on the line for someone that fell as far as you did."

"Just what the fuck is that supposed to mean, Peter?"

I locked my eyes on his and cocked a brow, "You were a God once upon a time, Jasper. Now, you take orders instead of give them. You actually allow someone to FORBID you from doing shit." I shook my head, "I don't respect those that don't respect themselves. You have forgotten who you are, Jazz and until you remember, I ain't putting my ass on the line for you again. Look for your own proof your human is dead. I'm already dealing with one person's fuck up. I don't need or want to deal with yours too. Go find your shit then go home. You're not currently welcome here."

His eyes slid back to my house, "Because of the newborn right? Where did you find it?"

I actually did growl at him for that, "Nothing that has to do with HER is any of your concern."

He smirked at me, "She's about a month old isn't she?" I narrowed my eyes as he turned back to the house, "The scent isn't yours so you're not her sire nor is Garrett. Tell ya what, let me see her and THEN we'll leave."

He went to head to the new back door and I flashed in front of him, crossing my arms and glaring at him, "Not gonna happen Jasper. See, I gave my word to that little darlin' and I ain't about to let you go against it. I said go home, now git."

He smirked at me and gave me the most condescending look he could muster, "You really think you can stop me from confirming what I already know?"

I chuckled, "You don't know shit, Jazzy-poo."

I knew he hated that name and I knew what his reaction to it was going to be when I said it. What I didn't know was my little lady's reaction to it. She came out of no fucking where too. I dodged the fist aimed for my face but he wasn't so lucky with the one aimed for his. She was now standing in front of me ready for the fight that was on the horizon because of that, teeth bared and a constant growl rumbling in her chest as she looked down her nose at the Major.

I glanced over my shoulder at Garrett as he stood there looking a little too shocked for it to be believable. I cocked a brow at him, "Really? You couldn't fucking stop her?"

He shrugged a little as I turned back to the show that was getting ready to start. I glanced at Alice as her eyes darted back and forth between Iz and Jasper. When they came to rest on my Sugar, I glared at her before grabbing Iz's arm and pulling her to stand behind me a little. I refocused on Jasper as he jumped to his feet, all kinds of pissed off. I just smirked at him, "well, you saw her."

He gave Iz a once over as he rubbed his jaw. After he was done he looked back at me, "Any reason you didn't just tell me you found her?"

I nodded, "I told you, nothing that has to do with her concerns you or yours. She's mine now, dissolving you of any responsibility. She was in my territory when I found her about to wake up. She doesn't remember any of you and, correct me if I'm wrong, but ya'll didn't want nothing to do with her when ya'll left her to her own devices. Ya'll haven't seen hide nor hare of her in how many years and only want to NOW because you wanted to make sure she was dead? Not the best circumstances for a reunion in my opinion there Jazz. And just so you know, when it comes to her the only opinion that matters here is mine."

He was about to say something but before he could, the little imp gasped and her eyes did that freaky fucking lost thing they do when she gets sucked into the future. Jasper looked over his shoulder at her and just waited for her to come out of the vision that was probably going to change in ten minutes while I turned my attention to the newborn behind me. She was still keyed up from the almost fight and I wanted to calm her down before she went on the attack again.

Dipping my head down to her ear, I whispered to her, "Calm it down there, Sugar. Nothing is gonna happen that I can't handle. You just stand there and let me deal with this."

She looked up at me, her eyes dark and pissed off. It took her a moment but she finally nodded her consent to staying out of it. She grabbed my arm with one hand and laced her fingers through mine with the other as she slid a little further behind me, her face half hidden by my bicep, her one visible eye locked on Jasper since he was the bigger threat in the area.

I smiled at her and squeezed her hand that was holding mine before turning my own attention back to the Major and mutant midget just in time for her to come out of her vision and freak the fuck out.

"We have to go, all of us. Edward decided not to wait for confirmation and is going to Italy. We have to stop him." She looked at Iz, "You're the only one that can stop him."

I glanced back at her as she pulled her face out of my arm and shook her head, speaking for the first time since she came outside, "No."

That one word was soft and quiet but for the reaction it prompted you would think she shouted. The two Cullen coven members looked at her with pure shock on their faces. Alice stuttered a few times before she gained control of her tongue, "You have to. Don't you understand? He'll die if you don't!"

She just shrugged a light shoulder at her, "I understand perfectly. What you seem to fail to understand is just how little I care. What happens to him is not in any way my problem. I don't know him. Hell, I don't know you. You are nothing but a blur and flash that has no name in a time that holds no meaning and that is exactly how it is going to stay. Let the stupid bastard die if that's his choice." She then refocused on me and tugged on my arm she was still holding, "I'm hungry." then she looked back at the once again stunned visitors, "Can we go?"

I smiled at her and nodded, "sure Sugar." Glancing back at Jasper, "have you figured out who her sire is yet? Have a nice trip home. I'll talk to you once you regrow a pair."

Spinning Iz around and jetting my chin out to Garrett telling him he was coming too, the three of us darted away leaving Alice and Jasper to sort out what just happened. Garrett was doing the hunting while I sat with my Sugar. There was no way I was leaving her on her own right now, not with them in the area and most certainly not after she decked Jasper and he hasn't yet retaliated.


	8. Chapter 8

While Garrett was in the city gathering some prime pickins for the baby, Jasper decided to join the party and he was not happy. I had Iz in the branches with me and when he got close I told her to stay put and dropped to the ground in front of him, arms crossed and face blank. I knew that if he really wanted to, he would win the fight if it came to that because of his empathy, but I really didn't care. I wasn't about to allow him or the midget to force her to do a damn thing she didn't want to. If she didn't want to go overseas she wasn't going to.

Jasper slowed to a purposeful stride to close the distance but didn't get close enough to be taken as an immediate threat. It was close enough for her to growl at him but not enough for her to attack again. When he stopped he mirrored my position and just stared at me, waiting for me to back down. The fact that he thought I was going to was a little insulting to tell you the truth.

After a few minutes of a stare down, he glanced up at her before looking back at me. He blinked slowly and took a deep breath and let it out slowly through his nose, "You should know better than to challenge me, Peter."

I smirked, "You should know better than thinking I give a damn, Jasper. What are you more pissed off about? The fact that I found her and didn't tell you or the fact that I refuse to back down from a pussy-ass has-been?"

He cocked his head to the side a little for a moment, "Pussy-ass has-been, hmm? That's an interesting phrase coming from a soldier that let a girl fight his battle or him."

I winked at him, "She hits harder. Come on Jasper, this is stupid. You're pissed off at the wrong guy for the wrong reason. You want to be pissed off at someone, be pissed off at your coven brother. I didn't do a damn thing but take on the responsibility of a baby that was in my territory. I didn't know who the fuck she was at the time and once I figured it out there was no reason to tell you anything. She was already changed and therefore not a threat anymore. You told me yourself not an hour ago that you left her high and fucking dry without even making sure she was safe. Where in that explanation was I supposed to figure out that she even fucking mattered to you anymore? The point here is, she's mine now and you need to leave her alone. You're my brother and I love you like one, but all that aside, it will only be over my dead fucking body that you take her from me."

He looked up at my Sugar for a long moment and took in her expression as she looked back. After a moment he spoke without looking away for her eyes, "I'm not here to take her from you. I came only for confirmation that she was no longer among the living. Now that I have it, I see no reason to hang around." His head tilted a little to the side as a small smirk came to his lips, "Remember to teach her to guard her right flank. While she might have a decent right hook, she left herself open for a counterattack that would have cost her dearly in a real fight."

I looked back up at Iz and she had a look of contemplation on her face as she looked back and forth between us a few times before her eyes came to rest on me. "This is him? This is your sire you told me about?"

I nodded, "Yup. Iz, meet Jasper."

He snorted and shook his head before looking back up at her, "Pleasure Darlin'." He then looked back at me for a time, not saying anything. Had I not known that he wasn't going to do anything I would have probably started to fidget, but since I knew that the battle was over, I just looked back at him.

We were still staring at each other when Garrett showed up with Iz's meal. Trading places with her with no thought beforehand when she dropped to the ground, completely ignoring Jasper in lieu of eating, I stretched out on a branch as Jasper took up residence in one a few feet higher. I was paying more attention to the area while she ate so I was a little startled when Jasper spoke.

"So, she has absolutely no memories of her human life?"

I glanced up at him a moment before going back to what I was doing, "Not really. The ones she does have are so fragmented and blurred that she can't make heads or tails of 'em, never could. She only really has two and even they're not all there. She cannot remember you or any of the others. She doesn't even fully remember her change. Not that that is any real surprise considering she was in a plane crash right before it happened. She doesn't even remember her real name. Took me and Garrett over an hour to talk her through enough of a memory to pick out a passport photo that looked like a reflection in a mirror. If she really is your Isabella Swan, she got fucked up in that crash for her to look that much different than she used too."

"It's her, trust me on that. Though her features are different, it's her scent, or close enough to it to make the positive identification." He went quiet and I glanced up at him to see him playing close attention to her as she ate. After a moment he looked back at me, "How she doing so far?"

I shrugged, "She's a newborn, no doubt about that. Stubborn as fuck and a temper the likes I ain't ever seen before. Dear lord does that girl get pissy. All things considered, she's doing well I suppose. Haven't had any massive problems with her yet that are worth mentioning, well until you and the mutant midget popped up today. For the most part, she's a little doll baby when she's not throwing a fit for one reason or another. However, she is only a month old so that's subject to change."

Jasper snorted, "Ain't that the fucking truth. Youngins her age will turn on a dime and for no reason other than to keep you on your toes." Then he locked eyes with me, "Please tell me you haven't tried to get her to eat animals."

I gagged at the mere thought of that, "Fuck no. She ain't had anything but human and as long as I have a say in it, she never will. I don't know how you do it and I really don't want to."

He smirked, "You don't honestly think that I actually have 'slip ups' do you? Hell no, that shit is planned out the very last fucking detail." That I did not doubt for a second. Jasper's control over his thirst far surpasses that of any other vampire alive. In the army we were starved to the point of insanity and then had a human put in front of us with the threat of death if we fed. Anyone that survived the southern wars was able to go months without feeding and STILL be able to be around humans without incident. The fact that the little coven he hangs out with thinks otherwise is astonishing to me.

Jasper and I fell into silence after that, both of us watching as Iz ate her fill lost in our own thoughts. When she moved away from her kills, I cocked a brow at her and when she nodded, I dropped to the ground to deal with the mess, Jasper following suit prompting Iz to snarl at him before darting behind me with a hiss.

I glanced over my shoulder at her with a raised brow, "Something the matter, Sugar?"

She just growled a little but didn't comment, just stuck close to me as I buried her dinner while not taking her eyes off Jasper. Jasper rolled his eyes a little but took a step back and crossed his arms, making sure she could still see his hands. She was the same way with Garrett at first and with the massive amount of experience with newborns that Jasper had, he indulged her clear show of skittish mistrust.

Once I was done with the cleanup, I turned to Iz, "You just settle the hell down there Little Missy. He ain't done nothing to you yet so knock it off. Your little ass was the one that hit him not the other way around."

Her lips thinned as she glared at me before crossing her arms and turning her head away with a snap and a huff. Oh no, I don't fucking think so.

Grabbing her chin and turning her right the back to look at me, "What did I tell you about doing that shit? You got something to say Youngin, say it but don't be pullin' this stunt with me. You know I don't play that game." She continued to glare at me as she shook her head making my brow rise a little, "you sure about that?" She nodded and averted her eyes from mine, calling the challenge off just like that. I looked at Jasper out of the corner of my eye, "Ya mind?"

He shrugged a little before he vanished into the city for whatever reason; hopefully though to get a decent meal. Once he was gone I let go of her chin and crossed my arms, "What's that deal, Sugar?"

She just shrugged as she kicked at the snow, "I don't know, I just… I don't trust him."

I smiled at her, "you went through this with Garrett too. Don't worry about it. You know I ain't about to let anything happen to you so just settle down and relax alright?"

She kinda curled into herself a little as she shook her head, "it's different though and I don't know how to explain it. I just… there is something not right about this and you told me not to ignore my gut and now you're mad at me for following it." She hugged herself a little tighter as she shrugged again, "I don't… I just…" She trailed off at that point and looked up at me through her lashes, her confusion shining as bright as the sun.

I sighed a little as I reached out and grabbed her by her crossed forearms and used them to pull her to me. Wrapping one arm around her waist I used the other to lift her chin with the side of my finger. Once I could see her eyes I smiled at her, "I'm not mad Sugar. Irritated yea, but not for you following that gut of yours. I don't play the silent game bullshit and I know you know that. Had you just stopped the growling like I said I wouldn't have snapped at you. And I don't blame you for not trusting the Major; hardly anyone does but I know him well enough to know if he says something he damn well means it." I dipped my head a little and butted my nose to hers and I dropped my voice to a whisper, "You trust me dontcha?" I watched her eyes slide closed too little more than half mast as she nodded to that making me smile a little more. "Good. You just settle down and let me be the one to worry about the Major. He ain't gonna do nothing to you so long as I'm around, Little Lady. I won't allow it. You're mine Sugar and there ain't no one gonna touch you as long as I can move."

She licked her bottom lip a little before drawing it between her teeth, her eyes looking deep into mine as her confusion grew again. She tisked a little before taking a deep breath and speaking again, "until I'm older right, when I want something out of this life that you…"

Using the hand that was under her chin, I clamped it over her mouth, "Shut it, Sugar. Things change and so do circumstances and personal stances. This however has not and will not. You are mine; period. You ain't goin' nowhere and no one is going to take you from me; ever. Everything I said before about this or that when it came to you one day striking out on your own, strike it from your mind cause it ain't happenin'; not in this century or the next or the one after it. This world will end before that that shit goes down."

I tightened the grip I had on her waist and pulled her closer to me, sliding my hand from her mouth to her hair. My eyes bore into hers as she searched mine for the answer as to what was going on. I didn't leave her in suspense long and with a possessive growl and slightly snarled 'MINE', my lips crashed against hers. She tasted like apples, caramel and a hint of mint; she was fucking delicious; that was the only way to describe her flavor. Fuck everything I ever said about this Little Lady never being my mate. That shit was blown out of the water the moment she melted against me and set her hands against my chest, a soft moan floating up and caressing my ears. Yeah, she wasn't ever going anywhere that I couldn't physically see her with my own eyes again.

I nipped at her lip and took full advantage of her reaction and full possession of her mouth, a soft growl sounding in my throat as her flavor coated my tongue. She pushed herself to stand on her tiptoes as she very tentatively tried to actively participate, her hand sliding up my chest and around my neck. I tightened my hold on her even more before I stood up to my full height, her legs going around my hips as I turned and pressed her against the tree that was behind her now. Pressing my hips harder against hers, I mapped her mouth out, converting it to memory.

"Well, it's about fucking time."

My head whipped around with a growl as Iz covered her face with her hands and tried to actually disappear inside my chest. Seems I forgot about Garrett being around here somewhere. As I was about snap some stupid fucked up threat that I didn't mean, Iz started shaking a little before she snorted hard into her hands which turned into her head falling back against the tree as she just laughed her ass off, the sound of bells bouncing off the trees.

It took her a few minutes to calm back down but when she did, she bestowed the brightest smile I have ever seen on me before she giggled a little, "What were you saying again?"

I chuckled a little before pressing my lips to hers again. Setting her on her feet, I turned to Garrett, "Shut up, Fucker."

He smirked at me and crossed his arms, "Am I wrong in saying that? You have been a dick for over a week when it came to her. I simply put two and two together. You know, Peter; for a guy that supposedly just knows shit, you're fucking retarded."

I smirked at him, "And you're about to lose some more teeth."

After a little wrestling match with Garrett the three of us headed home. I didn't see a need to wait on Jasper since I didn't know what his plans were as far as how long he was going to be in the area. He said he didn't have a reason to hang around but that didn't mean he wouldn't and if he did, he found us at the city limits so he could find his way back.

We were about ten miles from the house when Iz stopped dead in her tracks, a looked of absolute horror on her face before she started to backtrack.

I skidded to stop and looked at her, "Hey Sugar, everything alright?"

Her head started whipping back and forth, her eyes wide and lips parted slightly. "No, I don't wanna go there. Please Peter, don't make me go."

I walked up to her and set my hands on her shoulders, ducking down a little so I could look in her eyes, "What's the matter, Sugar?"

She was shaking again and her eyes were wild with fear as her lips trembled. "I don't know. I just know that I don't want to go. You told me not to question my gut feelings and it's telling me it's not safe."

I looked back over my shoulder, eyes narrowed and teeth bared. Alice and Jasper weren't the reason that the flags went off in my head. That was too easy to need the warning. It was because of them that the threat knew just where to fucking go. I swear to god I'm going to kick Jasper's ass for this.

Not looking at Iz, I tried to figure out what to do about this. I knew that there was no way in hell that I was going to force Iz to go against her instincts and make her go home but Garrett couldn't handle this on his own. I had to go with him which meant that she was going to end up being out here on her own.

Or maybe not.

Still not looking at her, "Garrett, give me your phone." He didn't question me, just tossed it over. I turned back to her and slid it into her pocket, "Find cover like I showed you and stay there. DO NOT MOVE until this rings, ya hear me? Garrett and I are gonna go check this out and see what's going on. We won't be long, I promise."

She glanced over my shoulder to where the house was and nodded while moving her eyes back to mine, "Be careful. Something is really wrong."

I grinned at her, "Come on, Sugar; you know that wrong is my specialty."


	9. Chapter 9

**JASPER'S POV**

I was just finishing my meal when my phone rang. After dropping the body and wiping my mouth I pulled it out of my pocket. Raising a brow at Peter's name on the screen, I flipped it open and brought it to my ear, "Yes?"

" _I swear I'm going to kick the shit out of you for this, Jazz."_

I blinked, "I beg your pardon?"

" _You led the cunt right to my house you stupid son of a bitch."_

I took the phone from my ear and looked at it a second before putting it back to my ear, "What are you talking about? Alice was with me when I got there."

He growled at me, " _Not the mutant midget ya dumb fuck, Iz's sire. She followed YOUR scent to my house and she brought friends. Now Iz is on her own in the middle of no fucking where, freaking the fuck out because I have to deal with you not using your fucking brain, AGAIN. So guess what, you get to find her and play babysitter until I sort this shit out, and I swear to god, if one hair on her head is out of place when I see her again, I will fucking kill you."_

Before I could say a thing back to him, I heard the click that cut off the conversation. Well, if there was a single doubt left that he picked his mate, it was gone now. He wouldn't threaten me like that for just anyone, and I wouldn't allow him to keep his tongue for anything less.

Grabbing the human remains at my feet, I tossed it over my shoulder to drop somewhere else and tore out of the city. Reaching the last point I saw them, I found the most recent scent trail out of the area and followed it, letting the body go about twenty miles away but not pausing my stride. The predators in the area would take care of him eventually so I wasn't worried about wasting time with anything more than that.

Letting my gift go to the furthest reaches I could, I hunted for a single set of emotions, the easiest way to find someone out here when you cannot be sure of where you are. I was within fifteen miles of Peter's place when I found her. Veering off course a little, I picked up her scent and slowed my pace. Since she didn't know me any longer, I knew I had to tread lightly here. She really did have a nasty right hook and I was in no mood to feel it again anytime soon.

When her scent became more concentrated, I stopped and gave the area she was in a once over, a sense of pride filling my gut at her choice of hiding place. It was both good cover and perfectly defensible if it became necessary. Instead of continuing to close the distance and possibly face an attack, I called out, "Iz? You can come out now, Darlin'."

"Jasper?"

I looked up to the trees where her voice sounded to be coming from, squinting my eyes to see though the branches. When I found her, I gave her a slight smile, "Yeah, Darlin. It's me. Peter sent me to keep an eye on you until he gets back. Wanna come on down from there?"

She shook her head, "No. Peter told me not to move until the phone he gave me rang. I'm more inclined to listen to him than you."

I sighed and crossed my arms, newborns. I could understand that though, he has been with her since the beginning and she trusts him so this wasn't unexpected, just really annoying. Giving her a nod, "That's fine, you can stay there."

She gave me a flat look, "Thanks so much for your permission."

Well, she's a randy little bitch these days, ain't she? Swallowing the growl that was threatening to surface, I just leaned against a tree that was next to me and glanced off towards where Peter's house was. Between him and Garrett this shouldn't take too long I don't think. Babysitting an infant that apparently hates my fucking guts for an hour or so shouldn't be too difficult. Not like it's not something I'm not used to. However, knowing that his particular newborn used to star in less than polite daydreams when she was human made it a little awkward for me.

After a few minutes, I looked back up at her, "So, you really don't remember me at all?"

She shrugged, "Nope. I heard what you said before about trying to eat me once and I gotta tell ya, doesn't fill me with the greatest desire to change that either, so stop with the fucking pleasantries. Peter might have asked you to keep an eye on me, but last I checked, eyes don't have mouths."

The more she talked, the less I was inclined to believe my nose that told me this was the human that once fell all over herself to please others. She was a smart mouthed little bitch, and nothing at all like she was before. I understand that she doesn't have her human memories anymore, but even that wouldn't have changed her personality this fucking much. Something happened after we left that did that, and she blocked her memories during her change. The lack of memories was her own doing, known or not, and I want to know why the fuck that was, and what happened.

I pulled out my phone and called Peter, telling him not to destroy the redhead if she was there. I had something I wanted to find out before she fried. Once he agreed and I hung up, I turned back to Iz, "I apologize for trying to snack on you when you were a human. I know you don't remember that day, but there were events and circumstances about it that led to that outcome. It wasn't really my intention to do so."

She cocked her head a little to the side, her lips pursed and eyes narrowed a bit. She was quiet a long moment before she smirked and put her chin in her hand, "You really expect me to believe that? While you might have convinced yourself it was an accident, I highly doubt it was. I was a human, you were a vampire so the outcome was easy to foresee. I would have respected and accepted your apology if had you been honest and said something to the effect of, 'Sorry for trying to eat you, but you know how it is when around a tasty treat. Kinda like cookies, can't resist the call of yummy.'" Then she gave me another flat look, "I want nothing from you, not an apology, not an explanation, nothing. And if you think for one fucking second that your piss poor attempt at an apology is going to change my mind about going halfway around the world to save someone I don't know from being an idiot, you're out of your fucking mind."

With that, she leaned back against the tree truck and crossed her arms, turning away from me and looking out into the distance where Peter's house was; worry and fear leaking back into her emotions. I was about to say something else when her head snapped the other way, eyes narrowed and teeth bared. I didn't even see her move from her position on her ass to being crouched down and in the ready position to pounce or run; two things that I really didn't want to deal with. If she pounced there was the risk she would get hurt and if she ran there was the chance she could get hurt. Knowing Peter as well as I did, he really would try and kill me if she got hurt.

I looked over to where she was and saw Alice walking towards us, a look on her face I knew well and one that set Iz completely on edge. She was smiling when she reached my side and when she looked up at the newborn that looked just about ready to take her head from her shoulders. I had no doubt that she could too. Alice couldn't fight for shit and from the display earlier, I knew that Peter had been working with Bella to defend herself already. Let's add to that that Bella didn't seem to like anyone other than Peter and if a newborn doesn't like you, they will hurt you.

Alice grabbed my arm and smiled wide at me, "This is perfect. Grab her and let go. We still have time to save Edward."

The growl that came from above our heads rattled my bones it was so loud. My head snapped up to look at Bella and I saw the one sight I could have lived the rest of my life without ever seeing again. I locked eyes on to the flat black ones of an infant demon that had JUST fed. Her lips were pulled back to her gums, the setting sun reflecting off the venom on her teeth, making the drips shine as they dropped to the ground. There was no color at all in her eyes, the whites vanishing in the midst of her anger. Her fingers were claws as they dug into the bark of the branch she was crouched on. She was nothing at this point but a wild animal and something that I knew better than to go anywhere near.

Her voice was a snarled growl and only my experience with children her age gave me the ability to understand what she said. "I fucking dare you."

When I didn't move in a timely enough manner for her, Alice huffed and after glaring at me, ran over to the tree Bella was in and kicked it as hard as she could, snapping it like a twig at the base and knocking it down. With a smirk over her shoulder at me, "Now was that really so hard?"

I still hadn't moved from my place against the tree I was leaning on. I just uncrossed an arm and pointed to the sky, drawing her attention to the fact that Bella had jumped from that tree to a different one. If Alice thought that simply knocking down the tree was enough to get her on the ground, she was out of her fucking mind. All she was going to do was piss her off more and a pissed off newborn wasn't something I had any plans on dealing with.

Alice was on her own with that one.

I lifted my eyes to the tree tops and watched as Bella lept to another tree as Alice hit the one she was in again. I wasn't going to interfere in this for one reason; we were not that far from Peter's place and I knew he could hear the trees hitting the ground. If Bella was his like he keeps saying and like I think, he will be more pissed off if I do than if I don't. Plus, Bella was more than capable of handling Alice when she ran out of trees. I wouldn't actually allow the youngin to get into a fight without Peter here, THAT I would stop before it began, but jumping from one tree to the next ain't gonna hurt her none.

I felt Peter's approach and felt I owed Alice a heads up if nothing else. Not bothering to raise my voice, I called out to her, "That really isn't a good idea, Alice. I would suggest leaving her alone."

She whirled around and glared at me, "Shut up Jasper. If you're not going to help me try and save Edward than just keep your mouth shut. She is the only one that can and I have SEEN her going and by God she will."

I didn't have the time to respond before Peter did, "Over my dead fucking body, midget." He looked over at me and I shrugged at him. I wasn't going to stop him from defending his mate if that was what she as to him. I KNEW better than that shit. That was the whole reason we were even in this fucked up position to begin with.

Peter then turned to the trees, "Come here, Sugar."

It was like a fucking switch was flipped in Bella's mind. The moment that she heard Peter's voice, she snapped completely out of it, her eyes flashed back to a bright red of a freshly fed vampire and her body completely relaxed at the sound. She looked over at him a moment before glaring in Alice's direction with a hiss. After a snap of her teeth, she launched herself out of the branches into Peter's arms where he caught her perfectly to slip her behind him, keeping his arm around her back and holding her flush to his. From my vantage point, I saw her grab onto the fabric of his shirt and press her face into it, but still left her eyes uncovered.

Once he had her secured to his liking, he looked back over at me, "Wanna tell me what the fuck that shit was?"

I didn't say a word, hearing Bella tell him EXACTLY what happened, as muffled as it was, and with every word, his eyes darkened taking on that demonic undertone. The last time I saw him this pissed off was nearly ninety years ago in the southern camp when he was punished for something that he didn't do in a way that was meant to break him. Peter doesn't get pissed. He gets annoyed and slightly irritated, but he doesn't get pissed off about anything. He didn't even get pissed off the day he killed Charlotte for what he saw and walked into. He was a giddy fucker that day if I had to name it. This though, this even had me a little on edge because this was something that I haven't encountered but once and that didn't have a pretty outcome.

Once she was done telling him what he walked into, he locked those demonic eyes on mine, "control your whore, Jasper. If she gets within fifty feet of my girl here again, her death will not be slow OR pleasant." Then his eyes slid to Alice, "If you don't believe me, try me."

Alice looked at him for a second before she turned to me, "You're just going to stand there and let him threaten me like that?"

I snorted, "Peter doesn't make threats, Alice. You know that."

If it were possible, her face would be a brighter red than a tomato. She screeched and rounded on Peter and Bella, "God, why are you being such a fucking bitch?" Bella started growling at the challenge in Alice's voice but I doubt Alice knew that since she just kept going. "Edward loved you with everything he had and it wasn't enough for you. Now you're going to let him die because you're a self-serving…"

I watched as Peter let go of the young lady and cross his arms as she lunged for the little sprite. I watched as Bella tackled Alice to the ground, straddle her chest and hulled off and blasted her in the mouth with every ounce of strength she could put into it, wincing a little at the sound of teeth shattering upon impact.

She then grabbed the front of Alice's shirt and pulled her nose to nose with her. Teeth snapping a breath from the tip of it, Bella spoke low and calm for as pissed off as she was, "You wanna know why I refuse to help that slimy little piece of shit you seem to think deserves my interference? I won't help him because he doesn't exist. His last words to me the day he left me in the middle of the fucking woods was I would forget all about him, move on with my life, and he wouldn't exist. He called that shit perfectly. He does not exist to me anymore, as HE wanted. So drop the holier than thou art attitude with me you little fucking imp and save his ass your damn self because I will have NO part in it. I told you I didn't know him so why in the fuck would I risk my life to save him?"

Alice never did know when to keep her mouth shut. Screaming in rage and pain, "Because you're the only one that can."

At this Bella got as close to her face as she could, noses touching and lips nearly brushing with her whispered words, "I don't give a fuck. If he dies that's not my problem. My only problem is you and I don't deal real well with problems these days. The only thing I would do if I went would be to lobby for it to be as PAINFUL as possible. Keep that in mind next time you try something like this ya fucking bitch because I don't play nice, I bite." To emphasize that point, she snapped her teeth again, this time connecting with the tip of Alice's nose eliciting a scream from her and a dark chuckle from Bella.

Peter cleared his throat drawing Bella's attention to him and with one more smirk at Alice, Bella let her go and got off her, returning to Peter's side and taking his arm when he presented it to her. The blackness of his eyes was completely different this time when he looked down at her, backed up with an ass load of lust and desire in his emotions. Yeah, if he didn't know what she was to him at this point, he was an idiot.

I looked at him and he smirked at me, "Told ya she only has two memories. That just happened to be one of 'em."

I nodded and watched as he dipped his head and spoke in Bella's ear, to softly for me to hear but the way her brow slowly slid up her forehead told me that she couldn't believe he was saying it. I saw her eyes dart to me a moment as her lips pursed a little. The brow that had inched up her skull dropped down with a snap as her brow ferried and she was overtaken with complete confusion.

She pulled away from him a little and turned that look on him and shook her head. Before she could say a word, he pulled her back and said something else that she nodded to and then sighed and became resigned. She looked up at him through her lashes and whined, "Are you sure about this?" He cocked a brow at her making her huff and cross her arms, a little pout on her face, "Fine."

He winked at her before pulling her close to his side and looking at me, "Let's head to the house. Time to have a little fun."


	10. Chapter 10

I hadn't wanted to leave my Sugar on her own, but I didn't have a choice. I knew that there was no way that she was going to go home, and Garrett would have gotten his ass handed to him had I not gone with him. I knew that Iz didn't trust Jasper, but I figured that was more because she didn't remember him than him as a person. I however wouldn't have thought twice about putting my life in his hands, and I knew that once he found out how important she was to me, she would be that much more important to him, and he would protect her accordingly until I got things sorted out at the house.

It turned out that it wasn't even Jasper that she didn't like, it was the pixy, and he was guilty by association; that was proven when she consented to him coming with us. She would have flat out said 'no' if she had something against him personally. Jasper knew the bitch Garrett had detained at the house, knew the right questions to ask to get the answers that seems to elude us, and he knew more tactics to get them in a timely manner. The problem with this was, I didn't know the outcome that was going to come from this, and that was what made this a very dangerous situation. Izzy already wanted the bitch dead, and I wasn't fully convinced that even Jasper could get out of her what we needed before my baby girl got her hands on her.

However, it was a bridge that couldn't be crossed until we came to it. This is why I hate my intuition, if that is what you want to call it. It picks and chooses what, and when it wants to be involved and normally, it is never when I actually want it to. I knew she was going to be pissed off, no newborn likes their sire for obvious reasons, but I was completely unprepared for the level Iz's ire shot to upon seeing flaming red amidst the white of the snow.

It took both me AND Jasper to hold her back when she caught her first glimpse of the sight, and every ounce of power Jasper could summon to pump calmness, and chill the fuck out into her so she would stop struggling against our hold.

She was a strong little shit when she wanted to be.

After she stopped trying to get free, Jasper, still keeping physical contact with the baby, turned his head to look at her sire, a contemplative look in his eyes. While he was controlling Iz's emotions, he was cataloging and sorting through the red head's, figuring out exactly what he was up against, and how to break her.

It didn't take him long.

After a glance at me to let me know he was letting go, he stood and clasped his hands behind his back, face blank of all emotions and thoughts. When he was a few feet from her, his head tilted to the side before he spoke, "You fucked up, Vicky, more than you will ever know."

He then crouched down and got eye level with her and pointed over his shoulder, "See them? Both of them want you dead, and both of them are perfectly capable of making that happen. Currently, I am the only thing standing between you, and true death, and if you want that to continue, you are going to tell me everything I want to know."

She hissed at him and Jasper backhanded her, "I would suggest not spitting on me again. I don't condone violence against a lady by a man, but then again, you're not really a lady. A lady wouldn't have done what you did." I saw her eyes widen and heard Jasper chuckle, "Oh yes, I know everything you have done over the years, and none of it is conduct befitting a lady. If you want to act like a man, I have no issues treating you like one."

"Now, I am going to ask you a question and I want you to think long and hard about the answer, because I will know if you lie to me. I want you to think back to that day in the clearing when you had the misfortune of crossing paths with me and mine. I want you to remember the game that was played with the life of a human that was under MY protection. I want you to remember the day I killed that poor excuse of a vampire for taking the bitch's way out, and going after a human. Now, tell me, why did you think it was a good idea to pick up where he left off, knowing the fate of those that fuck with something that belonged to me?"

I was very hard pressed to swallow the possessive growl when he called my Sugar his, but I knew he was taking this somewhere, and I wanted to find out before I dealt with that.

The bitch's eyes darkened as they started to dart every which way, looking for a way out and NOT answering that. Jasper simply stayed there and waited, but my little lady wasn't having it. She renewed her struggle to free herself, and I was actually tempted to let her go this time. Jasper looked back at me and held up a finger and spoke to 'Vicky' without looking her way.

"This can go one of two ways, you answer me on your own, or Peter lets her go and she beats it out of you. Have you ever felt a newborn's teeth slice your skin, the force of their jaw as it locks down; the injection of their far more potent venom as it burns its way through your veins?"

He then turned back to the now nearly shaking vampire, "I have, many times I have known the anger of a baby vamp, and you'll be hard pressed to find something that comes close to that kind of pain. That little lady is nothing more than a demon; a demon you created and left to fend for herself in a world she has no understanding of.

"I wonder though, if you knew that in leaving that youngin on her own like you did, if you can comprehend the magnitude of that mistake. That guy, the one holding your child back from ending you like you did her, is the ACTUAL male that young lady belongs to."

She went to look away, and Jasper grabbed her by the chin and turned her face back and Garrett, who had been silent as he held her still, grabbed her by the hair to keep her facing where Jasper wanted.

"Does he look familiar to you? Do the scars he carries remind you of anything you have heard of over your life? Every bite mark on him represents a vampire that died for going after something that was his. Thousands of marks for the thousands of vampires that found their end by his hands; his BARE hands. I raised him to be a monster, to kill or be killed, and he learned very well. Either you answer my question, or you get to find out just how dangerous the son of a bitch really is, and just how sharp you made her teeth.

"Why did you continue to go after her when she was a human and not just walk away? Your mate for a mate claim is bogus for two reasons. Edward didn't kill James, I did; and she was never his mate. You have ten seconds to answer before I allow Isabella the justice she deserves."

Vicky looked back and forth between me and Jasper a few times before looking at the pissed off baby that was inching out of my hold. That ten seconds Jasper gave her was a generous time frame. Finally, right before I let go and let Iz get in her licks, she looked at Jasper, "I wasn't ever James' mate. We fucked, sure, but that was it, and since he was the head of our little band, I never said no. But, it was never about him; it was about the huge load of cash we were paid to kill a human that was in our world." Then she shrugged, "The mate bullshit was Laurent's idea to give me a reason to continue with the job we were hired to do when she survived in Arizona. After a while, it just became second nature to call it that. Everything I did would have been seen as the crazed actions of a grieving female after the death of the male."

She paused a little before continuing with a growl in her voice, "Every time I thought I had finally gotten the job done, somehow she survived, every fucking time. It amazed me that a human could live through it. Three months ago I found her in London, completely alone and unprotected by anything that could have saved her. I planned it out and waited for the perfect opportunity to strike. When that time came, she got a plane, once again fucking up my attempt to kill her. So, I stowed away in the underbelly and waited again for us to be in the middle of nowhere. I killed the pilot and destroyed the board so even if there was someone that could fly the stupid thing, it wouldn't matter and then I bailed out before the crash.

"Imagine my fucking surprise when she survived, AGAIN. It was that point that there was no other options. Since she refused to die as a human, I figured that making her part of the world she knew about was good enough. So I bit her, telling her what everyone already thought so if she was questioned, my actions would have been seen as justified and no one would have been the wiser."

During the dialog, Izzy went still as she listened to her final moments as a human, her eyes black and angry. I really couldn't blame her, that shit was way worse than I had thought it was going to be. Jasper looked at Izzy a moment before turning back to Vicky.

"Who paid you for this?"

It was then that a smile curled her lips, a satisfaction coloring her every pore and filling her voice, "who sent you to make sure she was dead? Final payment upon confirmation."

It was then Jasper's turn to smirk at her, "too bad you'll never get to see it."

Both he and Garrett leapt out of the way as soon as Izzy snarled. I let her go and shot faster than a bullet straight at the bitch. The look of surprise on her face would give me decades of pleasure in my memory. She actually thought that Jasper was going to let her go after she answered him; not a chance.

Izzy beat the ever living shit out of her too. Body parts and chunks of skin and bone flew every which way turning my yard into a warzone. It was fucking hot. Once Izzy ran out of steam, she stood breathing hard, the tip of her tongue hanging out of her mouth as she panted for unneeded breath. She was covered with venom and the blood from the bitch's last meal; flesh between her teeth and under her nails. Her clothing was ripped and torn from Victoria's feeble attempt to defend herself against the demon she created, and that I had just fed. The only loss that she sustained was a couple of fingers, a few gashes across her chest and stomach, and a few bite marks. The muscles in her arms were twitching from the foreign venom and one arm was folded over the biggest gash on her stomach.

She was my definition of perfection. What can I say, I'm a sick fuck, but I like my woman fresh from battle.

As Garrett and Jasper began to pick up the mess she made, locating her fingers and giving them to me, I walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and set my chin on her shoulder, joining her in staring at the only thing of her sire still intact; the head.

Nuzzling my nose into her neck, "Feel better Sugar?"

She shook her head, "No."

I tsked at that, knowing where it was going but wanting to make sure, "What is it you want, Sugar?"

She growling deep in her throat as she turned to look at me, "I want them to suffer."

I smirked at her before leaning in and giving her a kiss. "You wish is my command."

She smiled a little at me before looking down her nose at the head that was staring at her, "What now?"

I hummed in my throat and glanced off to the side, "Now, we get you cleaned up. I gotta have a chat with Jasper, and some arrangements need to be made." Turning her to face me, I lifted her chin with the side of my finger, "You remember what I told you back at the city don't ya?" She smiled a little and nodded. I set my forehead against hers and nuzzled noses with her, "You'll learn one very important lesson here real soon Sugar. When it comes to something that belongs to me, I have no morals, no care for others, no give a damn 'bout consequences, none of that. By the time I'm done with them, they will wish they were never fucking reborn." Then I smirked a little, "and by the time I'm done with you, you ain't gonna be able to walk for a week."

She giggled at that before lifting up to her tiptoes and pressed her lips to mine in a light and hesitant kiss. She was a shy little thing, but that shit was gonna change, and right soon too. Growling a little, I pressed my lips harder against hers before tightening my grip on her waist and lifting her feet from the ground. Her arms went around my neck and her legs around my hips. She squeezed her thighs tighter making my growl grow in volume, and in turn, that made her moan a little purr.

Just as fast as I was filled to the brim with lust, that shit was gone making my growl go from lusty too pissed off real quick. Pulling away from my very soon to be mate, I glared at Jasper, "You're an asshole."

He just smirked and crossed his arms, "We are running on limited time to deal with this ourselves, and if you get going, you ain't ever gonna finish in time. Deal with it."

I narrowed my eyes at him, but more or less knew he was right. Not putting Izzy down, I kicked the head that was still right by my foot over to him, "I'm gonna help her get cleaned up and put back together. Since you won't let me do that the fun way, you get to deal with this part."

He caught the head with one hand and nodded, "Seems fair. I'll take care of the calls while you do that."

Nodding to that, I carried Izzy inside and upstairs to the bathroom, sitting her down on the counter and knelt in front of her to get a better look at the damage done to her stomach. Moving her shirt out of the way, I cocked my head to the side in consideration. I could let it close on its own but that could take a while so I decided to close it myself. Pushing against her chest so she would lean back, I smiled at her, "This is gonna sting a little." When she nodded and closed her eyes, I pinched the stone skin back together and after a quick look to her, I let my venom fill my mouth and then ran my tongue across the gash in one fast action. I was done and inspecting my work by the time she reacted to the pain it caused her. I expected a scream, but all she did was grunt and squeeze the counter top, crumbling it under her fingers. Well, that's a bitch.

After that was done and over, I reattached her fingers and got her in the shower, helping her scrub the bite scars to get the last of the bitch's venom out. This wasn't the first time I have seen her naked, but it was the first since I accepted the fact that she was going to be my mate when we had the time to make that happen. I wonder if I was quick about it… that mother fucker. As soon as I started to get a stiffy, that piece of shit I call my brother takes it away. This is not gonna work for me. I cannot wait until the chick he decides to make his mate comes along. I am totally telling her he's gay. I wonder where I put those pictures of Woodstock from 78. Once she sees those, she won't even question it. He wants to play cockblocker, well, he picked the wrong cock to block.

Once Iz was cleaned up, I wrapped her in a towel and handed her a sewing needle to get the skin out of her teeth, and went to get her something to wear. There was no way she was leaving the bathroom with two males in the house, in nothing but a towel. I don't think I could stop myself from hurting one, or both of them. When I was in the hall I heard Jasper on the phone with the airstrip that housed my favorite toy, to get it ready for immediate departure and to get the flight plan in order. I don't do human infested flights if I don't have to, and with a newborn that wasn't going to happen anyways.

After gathering something for her to wear, I threw some clothes in a bag for later. Izzy wouldn't be ready for any kind of sightseeing, but she was such a messy eater that she was gonna need 'em.

Once she was dressed, I took her back downstairs so we could find out the arrangements Jasper set up. Sitting her on the couch to BS with Garrett, Jasper and I went to the kitchen to pack a lunch for the plane ride and have that little talk. I didn't even let him say a word before I rounded on him, "I had better not find out you had even the smallest idea that that shit went down like that."

He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms, "If I had, do you really think I would have allowed it to happen? And for the record, I understand your connection to her and all that, but I am really getting tired of the attitude from you about this. You just…"

"Dude, shut the fuck up. You honestly expect me to believe that if the situation was reversed and it was me that knew your mate as a human and I allowed someone to forbid me from what I knew needed to be done, and your girl was hurt, hunted and turned, you wouldn't be pissed off and more than a little ready to beat my ass? You might be able to fool yourself, Jasper, but I know you and I know that ever since you took up with them, you changed and not at all for the better. The Jasper I know wouldn't allow someone else to tell him what to do, and you did. The Jasper I know wouldn't go against his own instincts and you did. Honestly, nothing you do or don't do rather, surprises me anymore. So before you spout anything about how I didn't know her then, think long and hard about what you would do to me if you found out that the people I surrounded myself with, paid someone to try and kill your girl BEFORE you found her.

"She is entitled to justice, and by fucking God I am going to make sure she gets it, against ANYONE that had a hand in this bullshit. This isn't me defending my mate, not yet anyways. This is me doing what I do best, what you taught me to do, so really, nothing that I am about to do should surprise you. I'm making my list, so consider me fucking Santa because I will give her the head of everyone who wronged her."

He bared his teeth a little at the direct challenge. He narrowed his eyes and growled a little when he spoke again, "You really are fucking with the wrong guy, Captain. You should be more careful when you talk to me."

I snorted, "Or what? You gonna use your gift so I can't fight back? That's the difference between us. I can win a fight on my own merit, while you take that merit away from your opponent. In a fair fight, one on one with no gift to help you, I would kick the shit out of you. What's more than that, you know it."

He pushed himself off the counter and got nose to nose with me, "Maybe we should test that theory."

I cocked a brow at him, "Then throw the first punch you little bitch. Let's just see how much

of the Major is left, how much of the feared warlord still exists inside the shell of his former glory, because all I see is a pussy-ass has-been that is ashamed of his past, instead of owning it. No matter what you think, you're still the monster you always were, still the cold hearted son of bitch that doesn't care about nothing, and raised me to be the same way. I know who I am, the question is, who the fuck are you?"

He grabbed the front of my shirt and got right in my face, "I'm the fucking Major, and your god damn sire."

I snapped my teeth at his nose before shoving him across the room, "Then fucking act like it, and man the fuck up. We goin' knee deep into shit, and I ain't about to watch the back of candy ass. The very first lesson you ever taught me was that pussies and pansies have no right to their unlife. If my Major really is still in there somewhere, it's about time for his ass to wake the fuck up so your balls drop, because if you don't stop acting like a little bitch, I will rip your dick off so you actually have a reason to act like a girl, Mr. HALE."

Turning away from him, I opened the fridge and grabbed the cooler from the blood bank. Once I turned back to him I smirked, "one more thing. You stop me from claiming my mate again and I will make it so you never can." Walking out of the room, I stopped and patted his chest a little, "Think about what I said. I'm proud to be a Whitlock because I got that name from someone that I respect with everything I have. Would be kinda nice to have him back."

Walking back into the living room, I caught the very worried eye of Izzy. She got up and walked over to me, her bottom lip between her teeth as her eyes darted between me and Jasper, "Everything alright?"

I smiled at her and slung my arm over her shoulders, "Peachy keen, Little Lady." Looking over my shoulder at Jasper I smirked, "Ain't that right, Jazz?" He glared at me a little, but nodded nonetheless. Looking back at Izzy I grinned, "See? Now, go grab your bag Sugar, we got a plane to catch."


	11. Chapter 11

We were about an hour from landing for a refuel before we crossed the ocean when Jasper came over and plopped down in one of the seats across from me and Iz. She was lying with her head in my lap, eyes closed listening to my iPod, since I haven't gotten one for her yet, and I was playing with her hair reading a book. Glancing up from the page I was on, I cocked a brow at him, not saying anything. I had a feeling I knew what this was about but I wasn't about to start this conversation. There was not a thing I said that I had any intention of taking back.

He looked at my girl a moment before looking at me, "You were right."

I snorted lightly and tisked, "I know. But for arguments sake, what was I right about this time?"

He scratched his eyebrow and sighed, "All of it. While I am not totally convinced you would kick my ass in any kind of fight, I also cannot say it wouldn't happen anymore. I don't know what changed, or when it did but…"

I closed my book and tossed it on the table next to Iz's feet, "Your problem is you have forgotten who you are. It's as simple as that. When you took up with the pixy bitch, you gave up far more than you gained. Jesus Jasper, you gave up your fucking name, the one thing you had that no one could take from you, you gave it up without a second thought and for what; a roof over your head, pussy, what? What the hell was so fantastic about that place that you gave up everything for it?"

He seemed to balk at that, "I did not."

I cocked a brow and gave him an once over, "Nice fucking khakis. The sweater vest is nice too." He went to open his mouth but thought better of it making me chuckle, "Thought so. Look, you're my brother and you will always be, but Jazz, come on, be honest with yourself, you sold out."

He ran his hands over his face before running a hand through his hair, "I really fucking hate it when you open your mouth."

I grinned at that, "No, you just hate being called on your shit, and I have no problems doing so. You're like Simba from that movie. You can take a vacation from your reality, but you will always be who you are meant to be. You Sir; are not meant to be dossal, complacent or kind to others. You are meant to be an asshole that goes to great pains, to paint this world red. You are meant to be a monster; our whole race is meant to be monsters. Those little bitches that you have been playing house with, proved that no matter what you act like on the outside, we are all monsters on the inside."

I felt a tap to the leg and glanced down into bright red eyes looked up at me, innocent and curious, "So, you don't think people can change?"

I nodded, "People most certainly can, Sugar. But, we're not people." Looking back up at Jasper and raising a brow, "are we?"

Jasper looked at me hard when I asked that. It was one of the very first things he ever said to me after I woke up to the life. I wanted to see just how much of his teachings he was ready to defend, and just how much of him was gone, lost to the blood of animals. After a moment he leaned back in his seat and shook his head, "I don't know. That was a different life, a different time when I said that."

"Bullshit. It was as true as the freshly fallen snow, until you were corrupted and molded into the shadow of a man you are now. Humans can change, humanity can forget who they are and where they came from, we can't. Give yourself a good look there Jazz, right down to blackness of your unbeating heart and tell me that you don't miss it, that you don't yearn for it; that everything you gave up for them isn't just below the surface waiting for you to see that you cannot live without it. We are who we are; there is no changing, forgetting, losing. There is only facing what we have done and owning who we are because at the end of the day, that is all we have. So you are faced with a choice my old friend, are you Jasper Hale or are you Jasper Whitlock? You can't be both, so are you going to ignore everything you have done and everything you have become on your own and continue to be someone you're not, or are you going to be who you have always been and be able to look yourself in the goddamn mirror?" He looked away from me and my jaw dropped, "You can't even look at yourself anymore, can you?"

He stayed silent and I dropped hard back against my seat, "sweet Jesus. What the fuck happened to you, Man? I mean, really, what the fuck? I can kinda sorta understand the conformity since ya'll were all kinds of close to humans, but… you're gonna have to help me out here cuz, this, this I don't understand."

He just shook his head, "It was never supposed to get that far. It was different; it was a distraction from the mundane but somewhere along the way it became different than that, and snowballed into this." He waved a hand over his preppy attire. After a moment there was a sneer both on his face and in his voice, "Somehow Jasper Whitlock died and in his place, Jasper Hale was born."

Iz sat up and went to the back of the plane for a minute. When she came back she tossed a wad of clothes at him, "So, kill Jasper Hale."

He smiled at her, "it isn't that easy Darlin'."

She looked him dead in the eye and cocked a brow, "why not?"

He looked at me and met the same challenging look she was giving him. After a moment he looked back at her, the spark in his eyes that I haven't seen in over 60 years and the smirk that could make anyone piss themselves tugging at his lips, "why not indeed."

He stood up and I grabbed Iz's arm and yanked her into my lap while reaching for my book. As he was walking away, because I like to add gas to the fire, "Welcome back Major, been far too long."

Jasper returned a few minute later looking better than I have seen him in a long time. I was about two inches taller than him so my clothes that Izzy put him in were nearly the perfect size. A little baggy because he is a wiry little fucker but not bad, all things in a pinch considered. However, there was one thing missing that was driving me fucking nuts.

Sliding Izzy from my lap into the seat next to us, I got up and went to one of the overhead storage compartments and grabbed a box that had been in there the entire ten years I have owned the plane, and handed it over to him with a smirk, "burn those, then put these on."

He cocked a brow but took the offering, snorting a little when he pulled the lid off, before pulling out the only pair of boots that were saved from the last time Alice got her panties in a twist over his past. I told her they were mine and if she touched them I would rip her fucking hands off. Took em with me when I left, but since my feet are too big to actually wear them, I just left them on here. Wasn't in time to save the hat, but I have plenty if he wants one.

After I sat back down, Iz snuggled up to my side and cocked her head a little, "So, you knew me as a human?" Jasper nodded and she pursed her lips, "what was I like?"

Jasper shrugged, "got me Darlin'. I haven't seen you in over five years. I will say this though; you ain't nothing like I remember. The Isabella that I knew once upon a time, was a mousy, silent little thing that went out of her way to be nice and kind and other shit to that effect to everyone she knew. Last time I saw you, you were attending a birthday party to celebrate you turning 18, which you didn't want to have, with a smile on your face to make others happy. You were opening presents when you got a paper cut, and that was the last time I ever saw you human. I was removed from the area while the scent of your blood was being removed from the house. But the time I got back, you were gone.

"The next day, Edward came home after taking you home, and demanded that we leave, using my actions as backup for his theory that we were not safe to be around. It was a little hard to contest that argument when there were still issues with the lingering scent of blood in the house. While he was playing the part of student, the rest of us were packing up and getting things ready to go across the country, where there was no way that you would ever find us would you have been inclined to look."

She was just looking at him, her face blank of all emotion and thoughts, just looking at him. When he finished the short overview of their history, she nodded but didn't say anything for a few minutes. When she did, her voice was far away and airy, "hmm, well, that solves that mystery then." She didn't elaborate or continue to try and engage him in a conversation, just twisted a little in her seat, took the book out of my hands, that I was actually reading, and started it from the beginning and ignoring both of us completely.

I looked down at her and just stared. When she still didn't pay me any mind, I snorted a little, "Well alright then, be that way." She didn't say anything but I could see the small smile pulling at her lips; little brat.

Over the speaker of the plane the pilot came on, "We will be landing in ten minutes for refueling. I have been informed that the young lad that was supposed to be there to do so was detained so there will be a human quite close to the plane. I suggest preparing the young lady for the scent."

Oh perfect. I looked at Jasper and shook my head and he shrugged, "Fed and drunk?"

That wasn't a bad idea so I nodded, "Fed and drunk."

In the ten minutes before we touched down, Jasper and I poured five bags of blood and an entire bottle of rum down the girl's throat. When the wheels hit the tarmac, all Izzy wanted to do was dance around the plane to the music she demanding I turn on, so she 'didn't look stupid' by dancing to the beat in her head. That worked out just fine with me since that would drown out the sound of the heartbeat that was going to be close enough to be heard.

Jasper closed the shutters to the windows on that side so she couldn't see him, and I leaned against the air vent to cover the scent of human blood with mine. Was it a perfect plan? Not by a long shot, but it was the best we could do try and keep her from drawing any unwanted attention.

It took an hour to finish getting the plane ready for a flight overseas and during that time, Jasper kept tabs on her emotions, and whenever her buzz started to wear off, I handed her a drink. He could have clamped down on her thirst, but if we went that route by the time we landed we would be out of blood on board, and a starving baby upon landing. Keeping her drunk was a better idea.

We got back in the air with no mishaps, and the rest of the flight was actually quite uneventful for having a plastered ass newborn on board. Thankfully, she listens to me very well. If she was still on the fence with me, this would have sucked.


	12. Chapter 12

When we were about thirty minutes out, Jasper went to the cockpit to make a call and I made mine with my Sugar in my lap, calling and confirming the lack of humans at the airstrip we were landing at, letting them know that we had a month old baby with us, who had a marked lack of exposure to live cattle. Since it was such an out of the way strip, I was assured that any humans present were fully expandable, and for the taking since it was such a long flight for a youngin to make with only bags. I was also given the confirmation of the transportation I requested was at the ready for us upon landing and Izzy eating. When I told them that she had yet to actually catch her own dinner they told me that there was a place she could get cleaned up as well before we left.

Once that was done, and Jasper came back from making his call, the three of us sat around bullshitting until the final descent was announced. Since Izzy was still tipsy, and would be until she had a good meal in her belly to soak up the last of the alcohol in her system, she behaved during touch down, but because she wasn't as drunk this time the wheels came down, she did tense a bit since the last time a plane went down with her on it, it wasn't a pleasant experience.

Once we were given the go ahead to disembark, Jasper went first to make sure everything was as promised, and once he was stratified, he nodded to me and I ushered Iz to the door after grabbing our bags, one with clothes and a backpack that housed the head of her sire. It took her a minute to get used to the brightness of the sun, since where we lived it was always behind clouds. It was also the first time she has seen our skin in the sun, and I thought that her eyes were going to pop out of her head.

I chuckled and bent down to her ear, "It takes a little getting used to, but you will. G'on now, out ya go." She looked over her shoulder at me and her jaw dropped a little shooting my ego shoot through the roof. Giving her a smirk, "See something ya like, Sugar?" There was no hesitation at all on her part before she nodded, making me wink at her. Pressing a peck to her lips, "G'on Sugar, we got shit to do."

She let her eyes linger a moment longer, before turning and bounding down the steps and saddled right up behind Jasper the moment she laid eyes on the other occupants of the airstrip. When he felt her grab the back of his shirt, he looked over his shoulder at her, brow up to his hairline. This was the first time she had shown any inkling that she didn't absolutely fucking hate him, so his reaction was understandable, funny as hell too.

I snorted a little as I walked up beside him and smirked at him, "Come on now, Major, she don't bite; often."

He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, "Don't make them teeth any less sharp, dick."

I snickered at that and pulled her behind me instead, "Better ya little bitch?" He growled a little, and I winked at him before turning to the landing crew, "Gentlemen."

The first one to step forward was a sniveling little fucktard named Santiago. He dipped his head low as he said his greeting. "Major, Captain, pleasure to see you two again. Welcome to Italy. Demetri is waiting for you in the hangar with a meal for the young one, and your requested transportation. I will see to the storing of you jet during your stay. Simply let me know when are ready to depart again, and I will see to it."

I smirked at him, "My pilot will actually be responsible for it, as he is paid to be. You just keep your tiny little ass off my plane, ya hear. I'll be able to smell if you don't listen."

His lips thinned in his anger, but he knew better than to fuck with me. The first time I ever met the fucker, I beat the shit out of him. So instead of arguing, he just gave me a jerky nod of acceptance to my demand to stay away from my shit.

The next one to come forward was Felix. Now this asshole I like for reasons I could name. He was a brawny fucker, with a sense of humor that could make a whore blush. I loved it. He walked up to us and held out a hand to shake, giving a small smile to Izzy when she started to growl. "Forgive me, My Lady." She just growled again, making him grin as he took a step back. "Been quite a while since we have had such a young vampire at the palace. This is something I don't want to miss a second of. C'mon, let's get her fed and on our way. Master Aro is over the moon excited to see you, My Lady."

She looked up at me, her eyes a little wider than they were a second ago. I just smiled at her, "Ain't nothing for you to worry about, Sugar. You ain't in no trouble. Plus, Aro is all bark and no bite these days."

She pursed her lips a little but didn't fight me as I pulled her along inside, especially when the door opened, the scent of human blood and sounds of heartbeats assaulted her ears. Every eye was on her since everyone knew that this was only her second time around humans, however, it was the first time that she wasn't full at the time. The car dealership was also outside, so the scents weren't as concentrated.

Her hand tightened around my arm as her eyes went to flat black with no transition. She started to gulp down mouthfuls of venom that was leaking out of the corner of her mouth. I just pulled her hand off my arm, gave her smile and nodded in their direction, "Go eat Sugar."

That was all it took before she was gone from my side and had her mouth latched on the neck of the closest thing to her. She was not used to this part so she actually ripped his throat out. She was used to them being out cold, not on their feet moving around. Also, she wasn't allowed to go as long as she just had without feeding.

Jasper and I stood off to the side and watched her go from human to human, drinking herself silly. After she finished her second one, and ended up wearing more than she drank, I elbowed Jasper, "Just like ol' times huh?"

He grunted a little and scrunched up his nose, "Some things never change. Newborns will always make a big enough mess to make you wish you could puke. After this display, I personally think it's gonna be awhile before she's ready to go to the city and hunt for herself."

This time I elbowed him a little harder, "Leave her alone, it's her first time. I've been feeding her up to this point." I glanced her way just in time to see her drop the human she was eating that wasn't fully dead, "You better finish that one, Sugar. You're too young to be a momma."

She looked over to me looking all kinds of confused, "What?"

I nodded to the body, "That one's still alive. If you're done eating, you need to kill the human or you're gonna be responsible for that baby when he wakes up in three days."

She just cocked her head to the side in incomprehension to what I was saying, only to jump a foot in the air when he started screaming. She looked at the man with wide eyes before looking at me, "what the fuck do I do?"

Jasper snorted while I smirked, "You snap his fucking neck, that's what." She knelt down to his neck, and in her panic ended up ripping his head off, getting covered in the last of the blood that she didn't drink making me chuckle, "well, that works too."

Her head very slowly turned to look at me, her face the picture of incredibility, "Shut the fuck up."

I smiled as I went over to her and took the guy's head from her, "He's dead, that's all that really matters, Sugar. Legally, you ain't old enough to be a sire because you ain't old enough to take care of yourself." I fingered a piece of dripping wet blood soaked hair, "We need to get you cleaned up before we go anywhere youngin. We also really need to work on your table manners when we get home."

She swatted my hand away from her hair before she plopped down on her ass and started to lick at her fingers and hands like she always does after she eats.

I shook my head, and grabbed her wrist that was at her mouth and clamped my other hand over her mouth when she went to bite me, "Don't even fucking think about it, Sugar. You bite me and we are gonna have some serious problems, ya hear? We don't have time at the moment for you to take your time and clean up. I told you, we got shit to do and I meant it. Now, get off your ass and let's get you a shower."

She narrowed her eyes, but let me pull her to her feet, and once Demetri pointed us to the bathroom, I shoved her in the stall and turned on the water while she was still clothed. I leaned against the sink and caught what she tossed to me as she ripped it off. The reason for that was to get the human blood off it and into the drain so when the bodies turned up they would come to a dead end at an abandoned airstrip in the middle of nowhere with no evidence of any kind since we don't leave prints. My jet would be housed here, but we would be long gone before anyone showed up, and my flight plan was lost to the wayside. This was normal practice when we came to Italy and it never failed.

Once she was done, I got her dressed and ready to go. Walking back into the main hanger, Jasper tossed me a riding jacket and gloves for Izzy and once I helped her into them, I caught the ones he tossed for me. Grabbing our bag and the backpack, I went to the car that we were going to be following, and once the trunk was popped, I tossed the bags in and grabbed the helmets, tossing one to Jasper and taking the other two over to my bike where my girl was waiting. She looked a little uneasy but that was to be a little expected. As I put her helmet on her, I smiled, "Easy as pie, Sugar. Arms around my waist and squeeze them thighs against mine. It'll be fine."

She nodded; I kissed her nose and then slid her visor down into place. After I got on, I held my hand out to help her, pointing to her where to put her feet. Once she was on and her arms were around me, I kicked started the crotch rocket and revved the engine, telling the others we were set. Demetri revved the engine to the car in answer before peeling out of the hanger, Jasper and I following right behind him. Izzy tightened her grip at the start, but a few miles in I could hear her giggles.

It took her three turns before she learned how to lean with me, and within fifteen minutes she was riding like a pro. Once I was positive she had it down, I looked over at Jasper, saw he was looking my way and I decided it was time to play some leapfrog. Grabbing one of Izzy's hands, I pulled her tighter to me, and she reacted by tightening her grip. Good girl. I popped a wheelie, sorta on accident but not really, and shot out of formation when the front wheel hit the ground.

I went to one side of the car we were supposed to be following, Jasper went the other, and once we were in front with the room to play, Jasper and I started to swerve and weave around each other in a modified version of leap frog. You need at least three player to do it properly, but this would be just fine until I got a bike for Iz, because there was no way she was not going to be begging for one later if the sound of her laughter was any indication.

The airstrip we landed at was only a half hour from our actual destination of the Royal City, so we didn't get to play for long before we had to let Demetri take over leading the way into the gates. When we got to the gate, we had to lift our visors to show we were properly fed before we were waved into the city. One of the fastest ways to piss Aro off was to eat within the walls, so you had to show you weren't hungry before you were allowed in. Which was fucking stupid because any vampire worth a shit could simply jump the wall, get something to eat and leave the same way.

Following Demetri through the maze to the parking garage was interesting. I have only been here a handful of times but it is never the same way twice. Once we were parked, I got the backpack out of the trunk, was informed that our other bag would be taken to our room, and that Alec and Afton were waiting to take us to the main chamber where the brothers were waiting. I smirked at this because things were about to get real interesting, and shit was gonna be a sight to fucking see.

When we met up with the two guys, I pulled Victoria's head out of the bag and carried it in my hand the rest of the way. When they told us that the brothers were in a meeting I smirked, "Perfect. Lead the way, guys."

They looked at each other but shrugged, and did just that. Iz was latched onto my arm, her eyes darting all over the place because she knew she was being watched but couldn't figure out where from. Jasper took up walking on her other side so she felt a little more protected, and a little less on edge. When we got to the doors to the main chambers, I leaned down to her ear, "You stick close to me or Jasper, Sugar. Shit's about to get serious."

She looked up at me, big red eyes full of trepidation and unease. I set my forehead against hers, and nuzzled noses with her, "Nether Jasper or I is gonna let anything happen to you, Little Lady. You just calm down and let me take care of this, yeah?"

I could feel her shaking a little but she nodded just the same. If there was a question in my mind on whether or not she trusted me, it was gone with that action. She was terrified, but willing to listen. After a light peck to her lips, I pulled back, looked at the doors and then kicked them open.


	13. Chapter 13

The doors slammed against the walls making everyone inside leap to attention as I called out, "Catch" and threw the head in my hand right into Aro's.

Aro caught the head with ease, his eyes sliding close on contact with the skin. While he was doing his thing, Izzy was taking a look around the room, taking in all the eyes that were looking at her. She slid a little closer to me but didn't slide behind me.

I knew the moment that she saw him, because her body went into lockdown. I glanced at her, and I could almost SEE her limited memories flashing before her eyes. When her lips began to pull from teeth, I switched my hold on her so when she snarled loud enough to rattle the walls, I was ready to snatch her up off the ground to keep her from lunging.

"Hey there Sugar, if you don't behave, you're gonna have to wait outside."

She rounded on me with a growl and I just cocked a brow at her, "You know better, Youngin. You just knock it off for now. You'll get your chance, but you gotta be a good girl for the moment."

After she snapped her teeth at me again, she turned back and glared at Edward who was stuck somewhere between shocked at seeing her, and turned on by her actions. I was about fuck him up.

I turned my attention to Aro when he hummed in his throat. After he opened his eyes, he tossed the head over his shoulder and clasped his hands behind his back, looking first to the baby in my arms, and then to Mr. Bitchy Pants. "Seems you have much to answer for young man, but we will get to you in a moment." Then he looked back at my girl and smiled, probably the first real one fucker ever has in his unlife. "I must say, My Dear, that immortality certainly suits you. I do apologize for the way it came about, but you were destined for it to happen five years ago."

She just blinked at him. That was when I explained, "She doesn't remember her human life, Aro, and what she can, is nothing but flashes and cut to shit pictures. She can only recall two different things, and neither one is pleasant."

He tisked, "Ah, I see. Well, from what I saw it is probably for the better that she doesn't remember anything substantial. However, it seems she does recall Mr. Cullen here to some degree," then he looked back at her, "Don't you, Stella?"

I watched her lip curl up and complete disgust overtook her features at that. She looked at me and I could see the demon inside her fighting to retaliate against that. "Who the fuck is he calling 'Stella'?"

I heard a snort and snicker from the other side of the room, and glanced that way just in time to see the other two brothers averting their eyes, trying their damnedest not to draw Izzy's attention to them for laughing at her. I shook my head before looking back at her, and smirking a little, "Simmer down, Iz. It's an endearment; kinda like when I call ya Sugar. It means 'Star' in his language."

She glanced over at Aro for a second and turned that over in her mind a few times before slowly nodding her head, "oh, well, that's alright then." The she looked back at Edward and growled low and deep in her chest, "I remember that he's a piece of shit that deserves to have his ass handed to him."

I love newborns and their fucked up emotions and attention span.

Aro chuckled at that, "I agree. And you will have your chance, Tesoro, of that you have my word. First though, I would like to see for myself your recollections of your human life, that is," looking back at me, "if it is alright with you, Captain Whitlock."

Izzy growled again at being called a name she didn't understand so I dipped my head and whispered in her ear, "That one means 'sweetheart'." And just like that, the growl was gone, and all was right with my Sugar.

When I pulled back and glanced at her, I waited to see if she was against it, but all she did was look at me. Jasper however had something to say to it, "I doubt you're gonna get anything from her. The fucktard over there couldn't read her mind as a human."

Aro glanced at him and nodded, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained, Major. I am also not a mind reader, I am a soul reader; there is a difference." Turning back to me, "I leave it to you, Captain. I will not overstep my boundaries with your mate."

I smirked at him, "Ask the Lady, it's gonna be her privacy you're invading, not mine."

I don't think I have ever seen him look truly amused before, but he was trying really hard not to giggle, "Of course." Moving his eyes to hers, "Do you mind, Stella?"

She looked at me again, and I nodded to her so she looked back at him and swallowed hard, "What do I have to do?"

It was the tremble in her voice, that got him to understand just how fucked up she was when it came to the current situation. His eyes softened and he waved a hand, dismissing the majority of the others in the room, so she would feel a little more comfortable. The main guard stayed as they always do, but the lesser ones vacated, making sure not to move too fast as to put her on defense in the wrong way. If they freaked her out, they knew she would attack, and I doubt that they knew how to handle a baby her age.

Once the room was empty, Aro gave her a slight smile, "There is no need for you to fear, young lady. You are not the one in trouble." Once she nodded at him, he walked down the three steps from dais and slowly made his way to her. He came to a stop in the middle of the room before speaking again as he held out a hand, "if you consent, all you have to is place your hand in mine. I will take it from there."

She looked at his hand before looking back at him, "That's it? Just touch your hand, nothing else?"

He nodded, "That's it. If you prefer, Captain Whitlock can come with you but you have my word that nothing untold will occur." He saw her eyes move to Edward if I saw that shit. The look on his face could only be described as indulgent when he smiled at her this time, "Alec, Felix, if you would be so kind." The words were barely out of his mouth before the two flashed to Edward's side, making Izzy nearly jump out of her skin and slide behind me for the first time since we came in. Aro sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose between his eyes with the tip of his finger, "idiots." Sending a glare their way, he spoke to my Sugar in a very soothing sounding voice, "Pay them no mind, Stella. You are perfectly safe within these walls."

I heard her gulp a little, but she slowly came back out from behind me and looked over at the two that were giving her apologetic looks. After one more look at me, she swallowed again but stepped towards Aro. It was slow going, but when dealing with babies you have to have some patience if you're gonna get anywhere.

Aro lifted his hand again and after another glance over her shoulder at me, slowly set her hand in his. Once she did, he gently closed his fingers around hers. closed his eyes, and bowed his head over her hand. I could see her visibly shaking from the twenty five feet away she was and I was driving me up the fucking wall. I looked over at Jasper and nodded her direction and within a blink she stopped and just stood there while Aro did his little invasion of privacy act.

Since she wasn't that old it didn't take him long before he was done. A minute later his eyes opened and he smiled at her, "Well, seems the Captain was right about you not having the best recollection of your human life. That being said, you seem to be doing well under his care under the circumstances."

"You could read her?"

That stupid mother fucker. He just had to open his fucking mouth, didn't he?

The moment Edward's voice caressed Izzy's ears, she rounded on him and with a snarl. once again went on the attack. She was out for his blood, and it seemed she was ready to take out anyone she had to, to get it. However, since Aro was still holding her hand at the time, he knew what she was about to do and countered the best way he could. In an action that I was rather impressed with, he twisted his body and twirled her around, crouched, and sacrificed his own forearm to her anger. He closed his eyes and grunted a little at the feel of getting bit, but otherwise showed no indication as to the fact he had a baby's teeth gums deep in his arm.

The guard members that were still present went to go to his aid but he just called them off, "If you move, she'll rip my hand off. That happens, and I kill the one that made her do it. She's an infant that still has a way to go in learning to control her temper. Now, get the fuck back."

He then glanced my way, "She prefers Izzy these days, yes?" I nodded at him but was on guard in case this went tits up. One does not bite the self-proclaimed king without repercussions. He turned back to the still growling baby, and lowered his voice, "Izzy, It's alright Stella. He isn't going to do anything stupid. You can let go."

There was no understanding in her eyes. They were locked on Edward and she was biting someone that she was fully convinced was him. It didn't matter that there was no way possible she was biting the right person to her. All that mattered to her was she tasted venom.

Jasper and I looked at each other a moment before he looked over to Aro that was still trying to talk Iz into letting go. "Do you want me to calm her down so she'll open her mouth?"

Aro shook his head, "I don't think that is currently a good idea, Major, though I thank you for the offer. She knows when you mess with her emotions, but doesn't understand how because she has not yet be educated to the existence of gifted vampires. If you try, she could well see it as an attack and that would more than likely end with her ripping off my arm. She'll let go eventually." A moment later there was a slight smirk on his lips and a light chuckle on the air. "I see what you want, Stella. Very well," he nodded towards Edward and called out, "Jane."

The next thing we know Edward is screaming like a girl, and you could see satisfaction enter Izzy's eyes and a smirk pull at her lips. She held onto Aro's arm a moment longer before she let go, and darted back behind me, her very satisfied eyes watching as Edward rolled around on the ground, a snicker coming from her as he continued to scream.

Aro stood from his position and looked at his arm, ripping the sleeve to his shirt off to see the mark that she left in her wake, a smirk on his lips. "Hmm, well, that was interesting, no?" He looked over at Izzy and smirked at her before calling off Jane and turning to Edward. Once he stopped screaming, Aro cocked a brow, "Time to deal with you. Considering that I took a bite from a newborn for you, you owe me."

Edward just laid there panting hard. It took him well over a minute before he could respond. Fucking pussy, you have no idea what real pain is. His voice was raspy, and clouded when he spoke, and I had to restrain Izzy when she heard it, "I would rather die."

Aro chuckled at that, "No shit. I know that. However, I do not believe I was giving you that choice. You invited a human into our world and let her live when you left. Never mind the hired help that floundered in doing it for you, the fact remains that there was a human walking the earth for five years with knowledge she should not have had. I know you were raised to think that there were no such thing as consequences, but I assure you, they are very real. For breaking that particular rule, the punishment is one decade of service on my guard for every year the human knows before death or transformation. She knew for five years so by my count that is fifty years of service. Adding the fact that I took a bite for you, I am adding another fifty. You owe me a century, while the others of your little family owe me fifty for their part and punishment. The rest of them will be arriving in two days."

Edward pushed himself up and glared at Aro, "You can't do that!"

Aro just shrugged, "I do believe I just did. Take your judgment like a man and simply be grateful that I do not turn the young one on you for mere shit and giggles." He then turned to Jasper, "Major, not even you are above taking punishment for you part in this. You also allowed a human to walk around knowing of us and out of all of them; I would have thought that you would have had the sense of mind to deal with the situation long before now."

Jasper's head lifted as his shoulders squared and he nodded with a 'Yes, Sir' knowing full well that Aro was right.

Izzy however, didn't like that idea and protested, loudly, "No, you can't take him away."

Aro looked at her with a very patient look on his face, "Captain Whitlock has yet to have the time to explain this to you, Stella, but we do have rules to follow, and there are consequences for breaking them. The Major here knew what would happen if I was to find out about you, and still he sat back and did nothing. This is nothing more than I would have handed out to any other that did the same."

She looked back and forth between Aro and Jasper a few times before she turned her wide and scared eyes on Aro, "But, he was helping me. Please, you can't take him away."

Jasper looked down at her and gave her a smile, "Calm down Darlin'. There will be plenty of time for that later."

She shook her head hard and fast, "Later won't matter. Now matters." She looked back at Aro and whimpered, "Please, don't take him away."

Aro's thoughts swirled in his eyes as he listened to her beg. You could SEE that he wanted to give in to her but at the same time this was the normal punishment for breaking the exposure law. She was putting him between a rock and a hard place because he couldn't let Jasper go with no punishment but he never did well with upset females. After a long moment he tisked, "I will take into account the facts of the situation as it is and will give you an answer on my ruling tomorrow. Whatever is decided, Stella, is the way it will be."

She nodded at that but didn't look any happier. Fuck, now I had to once again get Jasper's ass out of the hot seat for being an idiot. I knew that I could get him out of it, but it was the principal of the fucking matter that irritates me. I am forever getting him out of shit but where the fuck is he when I need a little back up? Fucking a whore, that's where. However, if it will make my girl happy, I'll talk to Aro, and get this shit tossed out on its ass.

Jasper is going to owe me a new fucking fleet of bikes for this.

It was then that Izzy went ramrod straight again, like she was kicked in the ass. Out of nowhere she turned and kicked Jasper in the kidney so he went flying to the side before shoving me the other way and diving at Aro, taking him to the ground. No one got a word out before there was an explosion of fire right where we were all standing.

I rolled over and slid on my foot and knee and whipped around in time to see Aro take control of the breakfall, stopping the tumble and covered Izzy with his body, making sure to cover her hair so it didn't catch from the falling embers and ash.

After I was convinced she was alright, I was on my feet looking up where that had to have come from. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Edward trying to fight against Felix and snorted. Best of luck ya fucking idiot. I nearly missed it but I didn't, there was a shadow on the wall on the upper story. Baring my teeth with a growl I called out to Jasper, "Major, seven o'clock." He whirled around and snarled when he saw what I did. He lifted his hand, gave me my orders and we were off, a well-oiled machine that was built in a time of unknowns, and honed over years of comradeship.

It was like nothing changed, like we never left the war as we moved as one mind. We knew the other so perfectly that we didn't need communication to talk. We took the lead from the other, our movements shifting seamlessly to coincide to the other until our target was obtained. In this case, the target was the mutant midget. I knew there was a reason I hated the bitch.

While she was focused on Jasper, she never saw me coming. Some fucking foresight she has. I snatched her up by the hair on her head on tossed her ass over the railing with a 'heads up' and watched as she went splat. Jasper came to stand beside me with a satchel of Molotov cocktails. I rolled my eyes up at that. They might not last long, but they can be very deadly if they actually hit their target.

I looked back down at the floor and saw Izzy standing in the center of the three brothers, peeking out from around Aro's arm. Guess she made an impression on him, you know, saving his ass and all. From my vantage point I could see the whole room. Edward was now face planted into the floor with Felix's knee in his back, and about to lose his arms, and Demetri was holding Alice in much the same position. Once the excitement settled down, I heard Aro call for Chelsea. Looks like he was getting his time out of them no matter the means he had to go through to get it. It wasn't unheard of for him to have to do this to those that broke the law for them to serve their time, so this really didn't surprise me.

Glancing at Jasper, I jerked my head to the stairs. He nodded and down we went. The moment my feet were on the ground, Iz was in my arms. Jesus the little shit was fast. I just smiled at the top of her head and chuckled when she apologized for pushing me, Jasper snorting when she did the same to him.

He reached over and ruffled her hair, "you ain't gonna hear me complain Darlin'. I'll take a footprint on my organs over frying any day."

She giggled a little before batting his hand away. Pulling her face out of my chest she looked up at me, "I'm hungry."

I pursed my lips a little at that. Cocking my head to the side I looked at Aro, "Where do you want me to take her to get something to eat? It's been awhile since she last fed, on top of her overstimulated nerves."

Aro smiled at her, "If you think you can wait about an hour, I do have one of my guards out right now retrieving something for you. If you need something to tide you over until then, I had some bags brought in for you as well. I know you ate right before coming, but I must admit that it has been a decent amount of years since I have housed a vampire as young as you are, so the feeding schedule might be a bit rusty on my part."

Her eyes dropped and she looked at the floor for a minute before looking back up, embarrassment shining nice and bright, "I don't think I can wait that long anymore."

He nodded at her and crooked a finger at Afton, "Perfectly alright, Stella. Afton will to show you to your room where you will find something to tide you over until Heidi returns with a proper meal for you."


	14. Chapter 14

Once we were shown where we were going to be staying during the short visit, I left Izzy in Jasper's care and went in hunt of Aro to get this shit taken care of sooner rather than later. I was directed to his study and after getting permission to enter, I opened the door and went in. Aro was at his desk with Caius sitting opposite him. When he looked up he gave me that half assed smile of his, "Captain. I hope your room was to your liking. As I said before it has been many years since we had a newborn of your mate's age here for a mere visit, so we were unsure as to how to prepare for her."

I shrugged a little, "She has a nasty temper, so when she breaks something I'll take care of it."

He looked at his forearm where the scar from her teeth was beginning to set and nodded, "That she certainly does. However, I am positive with your extensive experience with newborns she will learn to control it soon enough."

I snorted, "I doubt it. She is as stubborn as a mule, and don't listen for shit unless you get rough with her. It's gonna be awhile before she settles on her own. That is actually what I wanted to talk to you about, if you have the time to."

He nodded and waved a hand to the empty seat next to Caius, "Of course, Captain. Have a seat, Caius and I were just about finished."

Sitting where I was told to, I got comfortable while the two brothers went back to the conversation they were having, ending with Aro's signature on a piece of paper and Caius leaving the two of us alone. Once it was just us, Aro scratched his brow and waved me to begin, "You have the floor, Captain."

I put my chin in my palm and smirked at him. I haven't been called Captain this much in over 70 fucking years. Letting it go though because I knew he wasn't going to stop with that, I got to it, "I wanna know what it was that changed my girl from the one Jasper described on the way here, to what she is now. To make this clear, there ain't shit wrong with my Sugar but something changed her and I wanna know what it was."

He tilted his head to the side a little and closed his eyes, "The young lady has not exactly had the best time of her life for the past few years, Captain. That would change just about anyone. You will need to be a little more specific in your inquiry."

Specific in your inquiry? Fucking high horse riding jackass. I despise noble talk. No matter how it is said, it always sounds like you are being talked down to, and that never fails to annoy the shit out of me. Grinding my teeth so I didn't snap, knowing that was just how the fucker talked because of the time he came from, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly before speaking again. "How 'bout this. How much of her was changed by the abandonment of the coven, and how much of it was the redhead?"

He tsked, "Ah. I would say it would be about 30-70, the latter being the redhead. Victoria was very good at her job from what I saw, however, as a human your mate had a very strong will to live. I honestly do not know how she survived much of what she faced over the years.

"If I had to put a time to her personality change from what I saw in Edward's memories to the one she has now, I would put the _start_ of it about a year after the Cullen coven left her to her own devices. Of course, you cannot expect a human to remain wearing rose colored glasses when looking at the world around her when recovering from the hands of a vampire. By the time you found her, she had nearly died seven times over the course of time and each one was worse than the last."

He shook his head a little, "She is a very strong willed young lady, but her mind is fragmented, balancing on a sword's tip between brokenness and insanity. Something unknown to us, something small and insignificant to anyone but her can give her mind that push to one direction or the other and can destroy everything she is trying very hard to maintain.

"Before when I said she was doing well under the circumstances, I was not speaking of her lack of memories. I was speaking of her balancing on a very dangerous edge that not many stand on long without falling. She is trying to understand the world around her, but the lack of understanding and bridges to the past are driving her mad. She wants revenge but does not know why. She wants vindication, but does not know from whom. She wants answers, but does not know the questions. She wants to understand what is going on, but cannot get her mind to connect certain dots that she knows it used to."

I took in everything that he said, and once he was done I looked him dead in the eye, "Then don't take Jasper away from her." One brow slowly slid to his hairline, but before he could say anything, I did, "He is not only a link to her past and can help her make some of those connections, but she trusts him as well, something that newborns are not usually known to do in such a short time.

"You just said that something small and insignificant to us could break her completely and, while we know the rules and consequences for breaking them and those fifty years before the mast isn't a big deal, to her, it's everything. If you take him and she breaks, that's wholly on you, and in that instance, you will have to deal with me," Then I smirked at him, "something we both know you don't want. Jasper wouldn't follow any order to go against me, and the rest of your guard is scared shitless of me. You break my mate, I break you, and there wouldn't be anything you could do to stop me since harming someone's mate is also against the law.

"I am not saying that he does not deserve to be punished for breaking the law. He fucked up, he knows he fucked up. Jesus, Mary and my own dead mama knows he fucked up. I'm not asking for a pardon on his part, he can do that himself. All I am doing is looking out for the best interest of my mate. So, here is what I propose. Jasper leaves with us and once my mate is older and more comfortable in her new life, whatever time is left on his sentence he returns to serve on your guard. If it takes her his whole term before she is no longer in need of him, so fucking be it, but I am not willing to take any chances for her to lose it completely. I give you my word that the moment she doesn't need him anymore, I will put his ass on plane my damn self with a big red bow around his neck."

Aro snorted at that, something I don't think he has ever done before. He crossed his arms and we entered a staring contest for a few minutes before he nodded. "Very well, Captain. However, I will be checking in on her progress, personally, once a year to see how she is doing. Once I am convinced, and you agree, that she is able to be without him, he returns with me for whatever is left of his sentence. Once you consent, no amount of begging on your mate's part will sway his leaving, so make sure she knows that." Curiosity then entered his eyes, "Tell me, Captain. How do you feel about having another male being the one to help your mate?"

I shrugged, "I don't give a shit. This ain't about me. This is about my Sugar and her well being. It's my job to ensure that she's taken care of to the best of my ability, and if that means that I have to sit back and let my brother help her in ways that I can't, I ain't got a problem with it. Would you not do the same for your mate if you were in my position?"

He hummed a little as a smile graced his lips as the mention of his own mate. After a minute he nodded, "I concede to your point, Captain. It is our prerogative as males to do what is ever necessary for our mates; I will give you that. I suppose it does help that you are so close to the Major. I doubt very much you would be lobbying for anyone else to assist in this."

I snorted, "Fuck no. Any of the others from that god forsaken coven wouldn't have gotten close enough to her for her to become attached. As it is, if we are still here when they arrive, keep them the fuck away from her. I won't stop her anymore from following her instincts to fuck someone up, whether she knows the reason behind it or not. She is owed her justice and I won't be the one to keep her from getting it."

Then, because I'm an asshole, I snickered, "You gonna make them Cullens switch diets while they serve their sentence?"

He got this really nasty gleam in his eyes when I asked that, "I am yet undecided on that. I do have a question for you, however Captain." I cocked a brow knowing what he was getting ready to ask, "Did you know of the human version of you mate?"

I shrugged, "Yup. But, it doesn't really matter now does it?"

He sighed as he shook his head, "No, I just wanted to see if you would tell me."

I held out a hand to him, "I ain't got shit to hide. I was never told her real name nor did I ever even see her as a human. If I had, shit wouldn't have gone down like that."

He waved my hand away, "I don't doubt that, Captain. I was merely curious."

There was a tap on the door drawing Aro's attention away from me to it. He called for them to enter, and Felix poked his head in. "Forgive the intrusion, Master Aro." Then he turned to me, "Heidi has returned with your mate's meal, Captain."

I nodded to him then looked at Aro. I might be a might disrespectful but I was raised not to leave without being dismissed. It's an army thing. He nodded at me knowing what I was waiting for, "Dismissed Captain."

Giving a half hearted two finger salute, I left the room and followed Felix to the first basement of the palace where Izzy was attacking the humans like it was days since she ate, and not only a few hours. I glanced up into the rafters where Jasper was lazing about keeping an eye on Izzy while she ate. Jumping up to the one next to him, I hunkered down and snickered when my girl back handed a guy that tried to punch her. Idiot.

Looking over at Jasper from the corner of my eye a moment, I focused back on Iz but spoke to him, "You are coming with us when we leave. The beginning of your sentence is to be served helping me raise that baby up right."

His head snapped to look at me, "What?"

I nodded, "Yup. I just had a right nice chat with Aro, and convinced him not to take you away  
from my Sugar right now."

His jaw dropped a little, and I smirked. It wasn't easy taking him off guard like that. He blinked before shaking his head, "You didn't have to do that. Fifty years of service on this guard is fucking cakewalk in comparison to the last army I served in."

I kinda glared as I looked over at him, "I most certainly fucking did have to do that. Ya'll fucked my girl up, and it is your fucking responsibility to fucking fix it. I was told a bit about her mindset, and I gotta tell ya Jazz, I'm 'bout ready to kick your fuckin' ass. I won't deny you might not have fucking known about the fuckin' hit bitch, but the fact remains that you did in fact have a part in her being the way she is, and I swear on every fucking thing sacred you hold dear, you are gonna fix it."

His confusion to that could be seen by a blind man, "what are you talking about? What did Aro tell you?"

I glanced at my mate a moment before looking back at him. Now I was glaring, "We ain't gonna talk about that right now, ya hear? I'll fill you in on that later. All you need to know is you fucked up my girl in ways completely unbecoming of the southern gentleman you claim to be. The red headed little whore was the end to it, but YOU started the ball rolling and because of that, YOU are the one I will be holding accountable if she breaks completely. You better brush up on your baby raisin' skills, cuz until my girl is all better, you're her fucking shadow."

He looked away a minute before looking back at me and nodded.

Before he said anything back however, Izzy called up to me. Turning to her with a smile, "Yeah, Sugar?"

She was covered from head to toe with blood, her head cocked to the side with an innocent look on her face, "You alright?"

I nodded, "Perfect, Sugar. You all done?" She didn't look convinced but nodded to that so I dropped from the rafter I was on, Jasper following suit, and went over to her. Once again picking at her hair, "Did you actually eat anything, Sugar; because it looks like you're wearing four humans worth of blood, Darlin."

She giggled a little and shrugged her shoulder at me, "I ate three of them. This is because that fat fuck tried to hit me. I just played with him."

I sighed and shook my head. Infants. "Did you have fun?"

She giggled a little more and nodded, "uh huh." Babies, I swear.

But with her I was nothing if not indulgent, "Good then. Come on; let's go get you cleaned up. At the rate you're going, I'm not sure if I brought you enough clothes."


	15. Chapter 15

An hour later, a fresh and clean Izzy was stretched out on the bed in our room, eyes closed listening to my iPod. I had taken the time she was in the shower to inform Jasper of my talk with Aro, and told him the way shit was going to go once we left. When he found out just how close she was to the edge of losing it, he fully understood my position, and why I was so pissed off. He consented to the terms, like he had the choice, and that was that.

I was kicked up at the desk on the laptop I borrowed to get a few things worked out, since I decided that when we leave we are not returning to northern Canada, so I had to get shit figured as to where we were going. I hated that area this time of year and wanted to go somewhere a little warmer. I would have asked Izzy where she wanted to go, but seeing as how she had no memories of anything prior to a month ago, that was a dead end street. I'm leaning towards Colorado or New Mexico though. The estates I have there are more like compounds, so plenty of room for her to grow up.

Once it was narrowed down a little I set the computer aside and rolled my head to the side and just watched as my girl wiggled and bobbed a bit to the beat in her ears, a small smile on my face. I had no doubts that she would be fine. It would take some time, but in the end, she would be fine

Getting up from my chair I walked over to the bed by her head, set a hand on either side and leaned over her and waited for her to open her eyes. When she did, she flashed me a blinding smile, and her eyes seemed to twinkle a little. Smiling back at her, "How you feelin' Sugar?"

She pulled the earbuds out before responding, "I feel good. How about you? You looked upset before."

I sighed a little and shrugged lightly, "It's alright and nothin' I want you worrying about. I got this Sugar."

Her eyes narrowed a little, "Are you sure? You keep saying things like that, and I feel bad because it always seems like the longer I'm around, the more shit you have to deal with. It doesn't seem fair that I'm upsetting your life so much."

I chuckled a little as I dipped my head down, pressing a kiss to her lips. Pulling back I smiled at her, "Comes with the territory, Little Lady. Babies upset lives, it's what you do, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Chances are, if things were seamless and uninteresting, I would get bored, and I would cause untold chaos in YOUR life to liven things up. Something you might want to keep in mind since you're gonna be around for a very long time, Sugar. I get bored very easy, and you ain't gonna be a baby vamp forever. Don't you worry about shit being unfair now, 'cause once you grow up, it's gonna be my turn."

She giggled a little and shook her head, "Karma right? You're gonna do to me worse than I did to you?"

My chuckle was a little darker this time, "a hundred fold, Sugar. You just go right on ahead and be the biggest bitch you want to be for now, because My Little Lady, I am an asshole, and you're stuck with me. There ain't shit you can think of that I can't top with minimal effort, and next to no thought."

She smirked and defiance entered her eyes, "that sounds like a challenge, Petey."

I tsked as I shook my head a little, before locking eyes and grinning back, "You have no idea, Sugar."

She lifted her head and got real close to my face, eyes daring even as they shone like rubies, "bring it on, Petey."

Oh, my little Sugar, you really shouldn't have done that. The moment she cocked a brow at me, my lips crashed against hers in a brutal meeting. I heard her intake of air through her nose before she twisted a bit and wrapped her arms around my neck, using me to gain the leverage needed to pull her body closer to mine. I used her actions to lean forward so she was now on her back. Sliding an arm under her, I picked her up a little, and slid her into the middle of the bed without breaking or slowing the kiss.

When she was where I wanted her, the arm that was under her back went behind my neck where I grabbed both her wrists, and lifted them over my head and held them above hers. Using my free hand, I held myself up while Iz moved her legs to either side of my hips before wrapping them around me locking her ankles, flexing her muscles and pulling me closer and harder against her.

Yes fucking ma'am.

Licking her lip, I purred deep when she opened and allowed me the pleasure of my favorite treat, so far. I arched my back a bit and rolled my hips against her making her rip away from the kiss and threw her head back, a choked gasp getting caught in her throat. Being the opportune asshole I am, I focused on the long creamy column of her neck, alternating between open mouthed kisses and raking my teeth across her flesh.

She started to try and free her hands, prompting me to pause and growl at her. Once she stopped pulling at her hands, I continued my assault on her neck. Using my knuckles on the hand that bound hers to hold my body up, I used my other one to grab the front of her shirt and just ripped it off and out of my way. She was really big into tank tops with built in bras so once the shirt was gone, there was nothing else keeping me from the perfectly perky tits that were literally staring me in the face.

With a lustful growl in my throat, I licked my lips before dipping my head and licking the right peak once, before wrapping my lips around it. Iz arched at the sensation pushing more into my mouth and I adjusted accordingly before I began to suck on it like a nursing human. My free hand found its way to not be so free and began to knead the other one, squeezing and pinching the mound like a stress ball. Once she was sufficiently out of her mind, I switched the hand that held hers, so that I could give the same attention to the other one. She really does have the absolute perfect set of tits.

After playing with both of them fairly, I left the north and ventured further south, nipping, kissing and scraping my way along her toned and chiseled stomach. I already knew every inch of her body by sight having seen it multiple times a day for a month, but there was just something different when you map perfection by feel instead. The tip of my tongue met her stomach muscles and was introduced to the dip of her hip. I had let go of her hands in lieu of continuing to play with her breasts, so she took advantage of it and slid her fingers into my hair when I slipped my tongue under the waistband of her shorts.

Taking the sides of her little boy shorts in between my fingers, with a snap and light twist of my wrist, the barrier between me and my destination was gone, giving me an up close and personal look at the untouched petals of my mate's lower lips. Every female becomes a virgin again during the change so even if she had known the touch of a male prior to this, one she didn't remember, and two, she never would again. This was completely and totally mine.

The scent of her want filled my nose and clouded my mind putting me in a haze of desire so thick, that I was hard pressed not to just attack it like a puberty bound teenager.

I had to swallow a mouthful of venom before wiping the drool that leaked out of the corner of my mouth from the hunger that gripped me. Lifting my eyes to look up at the desire ridden female, a smirk came to my lips at the sight of her shifting her hips trying to figure out how to rid herself of the coil in her gut.

Focusing back on the task at hand, I let the tip of my tongue swipe once from the bottom to the top of the glistening slit before me, a purr sounding from my chest at the explosion of flavor that coated my taste buds. She jerked a little at the feel, but I put my hands on her thighs to keep her where I wanted her before running my tongue across her again, adding pressure and depth with each pass.

Her fingers tightened in my hair and the most glorious sounds fell from her lips. I dug my fingers into her skin as one thumb slid across her mound to the most magnificent creation in the world, and my personal favorite part of the female body; the clit.

The second I ran my thumb over it, her back arched off the bed and she pulled my hair so hard I was a little afraid that she was gonna rip it out. Might be time to start working on helping her control that, since this was going to become a VERY common occurrence. The girl was the single best tasting thing I have ever found, and I wasn't about to go more than a few hours without tasting it again.

Chuckling lightly at the enthusiasm, I added pressure with my thumb and pushed my tongue as far inside her sheath as I possibly could.

She didn't last long, only a couple of minutes but the payoff for me was just about on par with what she got from this. Her call of completion had my ears ringing as I very eagerly lapped at the flood of her essence she willing gave me.

I took my time with the clean up making damn sure I didn't miss a single drop of her. I would sooner go vegan than waste any of it. Once I was positive she was nice and clean, I pulled her fingers from my hair before pulling my shirt off, and made quick work of my belt buckle.

Lifting myself back up onto the bed I crawled up her body, once again mapping her out with my lips and tongue, my eyes looking up through my lashes and bangs at her panting, and ecstasy colored face. Once I reached her neck, I lifted her chin with my nose to give me a little more room to play before placing biting kisses on her useless pulse point.

She bought her legs back up and around my hips pulling mine hard against her bare sex, gasping at the feel of the denim of my jeans against her still pulsing clit. And that is why I love that little button so damn much. If you know what you're doing with it, just about anything will keep a female floating on her cloud of madness for as long as I saw fit.

Dragging my lips up her throat and around her jaw, I pulled back and just looked down at her, my black eyes locking on hers. A cocky grin pulled at my lips when she could barely open her eyes. Yes ma'am, you are welcome.

Just as I was about to dip down and kiss my girl, every last OUNCE of desire I had in me was once again FUCKING GONE. I was gonna kill him. So instead of going in for a kiss, I dropped my forehead on her chest with the most pissed off sounding growl I have ever let loose.

With a snarl, I got off my startled mate, grabbed the bedspread and tossed it over her fantastically still naked body, and not bothering to re-fasten my jeans or put back on my shirt, I stalked to the door and damn near ripped it off the hinges, coming face to face with the very soon to die asshole empath.

He didn't even look sorry for this shit. Yeah, he was about to die.

Before I could say anything to him, he beat me to it, "put it away Captain. You can kick my ass later, but we got a problem."

I snarled at him, "You're goddamn right we got a problem, you fucking asshole. Three fucking times now you pulled this shit and I swear to god Jasper…"

Next thing I know I'm not even pissed off anymore. Now how 'bout that shit. Pissed off or not I still hauled back and blasted him in the mouth, "cut it the fuck out already, Jesus. One of these days I am going to find that fucking empathy gland of yours and rip it the fuck out."

He didn't look surprised about getting hit. Good, because I was about to it again; with my knee to his nuts. Him being the smart fucker he is though, backed out of my range of attack. He was rubbing his jaw as he locked his eyes on mine, "She needs to get dressed. I said we had a problem, and it's a little more important than you getting laid."

I pointed a finger in his face, "There ain't shit more important than getting laid jackass; especially when the end result is claiming my fucking mate. Now, what was so goddamned important that you felt you had to once again stop me from doing so?"

"Alice was a busy little bitch before she got here."

I looked at him a moment before glancing off to the side as the little people in my head started talking a mile a minute. It takes a practiced mind to understand the little bastards when they got excited like this, so when he went to open his mouth I held up hand to tell him to shut up. My eyes slid closed for a second as the gist was figured out, and when that happened all I could do was growl.

Opening my eyes I looked at him, "Thirty seconds," then I slammed the fucking door in his face. Dropping my head back on my shoulders, I rolled it around a few times before rolling my shoulders and darting into action. Grabbing Izzy some clothing out of our bag, I got them on her and re-fastened my pants and belt and didn't even bother with a shirt before grabbing her hand and pulling her behind me back out the door with five seconds to spare.

With another glare at Jasper, "You had better be glad this is that fucking serious."

He nodded at me, knowing that even under the influence of his power I was still boiling. I am a very hard guy to piss off because my give a damn is so past busted, but when you start getting between me and my sex life, people tend to die, very painfully.

Izzy was silent for the most part but once we started heading towards the main section of the palace, she apparently couldn't take it anymore, "What's going on?"

I looked down at her, and the innocent fear in her eyes softened the boiling rage in mine. You cannot be mad when you look her in the eyes. Pulling her to my side, I tossed my arm over her shoulders, "I ain't gonna lie to you Sugar, this has to do with you."

Her gasp was caught in her throat behind the terror that entered her eyes, "What?"

I nodded as I pulled her closer, "You're apparently a very highly coveted commodity."

She shook her head and after a glance at Jasper, looked back up at me, "I don't understand."

I nodded again, "I know, but you will." I looked at her a moment before pulling her to a stop with me and looking at Jasper, "You g'on. We'll be right behind you." He nodded to me, gave Iz a wink and went on his merry way while I pulled Iz into a side hall. With the grip I had on her hand, I twirled her in a circle before pressing her back against the wall, chuckling a little at the carefree giggle that came from her at the childish action.

That was the best thing about vampires her age; they were only really affected by the emotions of the moment.

When I pressed myself up against her again, the scent of her want near immediately smacked me in the face prompting a purr to rumble my chest, "Christ almighty, do you smell fantastic Sugar." Setting my forehead on hers, I looked into her rapidly darkening eyes, "you make no mistake, Darlin'. By the time the sun hits the horizon tonight, you will be mine in every way you can be. We got this one thing to deal with right quick, but I meant what I told you, when I'm done, you ain't gonna be able to walk."

I chuckled when I felt her tremble a bit and butted my nose against hers lightly. "I really wanted to do this a little differently, but unfortunately" I drug my lips across her cheek, around her jaw and down her neck while saying, "shit happens to the best of us." Once I reached where I was going, "Deep breath Sugar 'cause this is gonna hurt." And I sank my teeth into her pulse point over the mark that made her claiming my mate and leaving the visible proof she was taken and ridding her of any other bite marks on her neck that were not mine.

I heard the intake of air through her teeth and clamped my hand over her mouth right before her scream was given life. Injecting my venom into her vein so that she took on my scent, I kept my teeth embedded in her flesh a moment to make sure there was enough of me in her to overtake her scent completely before I let go, lightly running my tongue over the bite to sooth the burn and seal it closed. I gave it a look and nuzzled it with my nose a little. It was a fresh bite so the teeth marks were raised and extremely noticeable and would be for about a week or so before they set into the skin.

For as much as I knew that shit hurt, I smirked when the scent of her orgasm flooded my senses. Pulling back and looking at her, I cocked a brow, "You can also be assured that that will be the one and only time that nectar is ever wasted you little freak, you." She just gave me a little smile, and an airy giggle.

I ran the parameters of this situation through my head and grinned at what I came up with; spent female, fresh bite mark, lack of personal body scent on her; yeah everyone and their fucking mother is gonna know what's what the moment we walk in the room. Hello ego, nice to see ya.

Once her breathing was under her control again, as unneeded as it was, I crooked a finger under her chin and forced her to lock eyes with me. When she did, I tapped her new mark with the pad of my finger, "This is never to be covered. Not with your hair, not a shirt, nothing. I want to be able to see it at all times. Ya hear me, Mate?" She smiled at me and nodded once. I purred at her as I dipped down and took her lips with mine again, "good girl."


	16. Chapter 16

We were late to the party but I didn't give a shit. Jasper snorted and shook his head when he saw the reason for our tardiness, and I gave him the finger. Since everyone in the room decided that talking all at once was the way to figure shit out, I covered Izzy ears and whistled high and loud.

That shut 'em up.

Once everyone was silent, I wrapped my arms around Izzy's waist, and set my chin on her shoulder, looking right at Jasper. This was his part of the job. I never was all that good at coming up with plans, but I follow 'em pretty good. I'm a more 'shoot then ask' kinda guy so I leave strategies up to him.

He rolled his eyes but took point like he was made to do. This was the shit I have been trying to pound into his skull with words for the last two days. He was born for this shit, both as a human, and as a vampire. He was designed to lead the Army of Hell to victory and he lived and breathed fire and brimstone. I was actually beginning to think that I was gonna have to resort to violence to get him to come to terms with his demon. Little fucking candy ass bastard. That is one vampire that is NEVER allowed near an animal again. It is not good for his health.

He looked at Aro, "Where's the head?"

Aro cocked a brow at him, "I had it taken for disposal."

Irritation is an emotion I had thought he forgot how to feel. Good god I do believe the Major is alive somewhere, 'cause that is his favorite thing in the world to feel. "Well, get it. We need to know something that only it can tell us.

"I know everything it does, Major."

Now it was my turn to piss on his parade. "Naw, you missed something. Probably thought that it wasn't important. Thing is, what isn't important to you, can be VERY important to someone else. I believe we covered that earlier."

Aro grunted, "I guess we did." He looked over at Demetri and nodded. The tracker disappeared and Aro looked back at me with a smirk, "have you informed either of them of our little chat, Captain?"

I nodded as much as I could with the restriction of refusing to move, "Told the Major while my girl here was eating. Thought you might like to be the one to inform her of your ruling on Jazz."

Izzy's back went ramrod straight at the reminder of the last time we were here. She turned to look at me for a second, and I winked at her. She turned wide hopeful eyes back on Aro and held her breath, even though she really didn't need to, and waited for him to tell her what was decided.

Aro, the little prick he is, held out for a minute before squaring his shoulders and looking her in the eye, "The Major shall be accompanying you home for the time being."

That was all he got out before she ripped herself out of my arms and darted right into his  
very surprised ones, wrapping hers around neck with a squeal of 'thank you so much". I smirked at the surprise on Aro's face as he returned the gesture and _very_ awkwardly patted her back. You didn't even need eyes to see just how uncomfortable the poor bastard was when she just kept hugging him.

After about a thirty seconds he cleared his throat and, gently pulling her arms from his neck, took a half step back from her so she couldn't do it again. He was still holding her arms, probably for added assurance that she wouldn't pounce on him again, when he smiled down at her, "There are a few provisions to this, Stella, that the Captain can fill you in on later." She flashed him a full teeth smile and nodded making her hair slide off her shoulders from her excitement and exposing my mark on her neck making the smile on his face grow a little more, "Well now, what have we here?" His eyes slid to me and I gave him a shit eatin' grin. He looked back at her, and turned her head a little to the side getting an eyeful of my teeth impression. He hummed a little before he tisked lightly, "I see congratulations are in order."

He then looked over at me and Jasper a short moment before cocking his head to the side. Izzy looked over her shoulder at us too, confused beyond measure as to what he was looking at. Aro was still looking at us when he started to speak, but Izzy turned back to look at him, "Since you seem to like the Major so much, Tesoro," then he looked down at her, "as a mating gift, I will dissolve his contract to the guard." And once again he was getting choked out by my newborn mate.

She was fucking adorable.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jasper cock a brow, but he kept his fucking mouth shut. Just because time on the guard would be cake for him didn't in the slightest mean he WANTED to serve it. Because I am an asshole, I leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Told ya there was nothing more important than me getting laid. Everyone wins when I get some pussy."

He knew that I hadn't actually gotten laid, but the result of my mating the chick that saved the royal pain in the ass's ass, was his freedom. Didn't stop him from cracking me in the back of the head though. Dick.

I snickered even as I rubbed the abused spot on my head, and turned to face front when Demetri came back with the head of the red headed bitch. Izzy saw the head too, and hissed at it before she seeming materialized partly hidden behind me. Again, Jesus is the runt fast. I glanced back at her and shook my head before pulling her out from her hiding place, and wrapped her back up in my arms, setting my chin back on her shoulder next to my mark. Turning my head a little, I gave it a lick and nuzzle before paying attention when Jasper started talking again.

"I want to ask it a question, and I want it to answer."

Aro looked at the head in his hands and slowly looked back at him, "And just how do you propose to do that?"

I snickered, "all we need is some lungs so the bitch can talk. Don't tell me you didn't know that you can put a detached head on any ol' body to get what you need from it. I vote we use Jane. Rip the bitch's head off and let the redhead fuse to her body." There was a hiss from the other side of the room drawing both mine and my mate's attention to the dwarf. I cocked a brow as Izzy growled at her. "I fucking dare ya bitch. It won't end the way you think. My girl here will drop you before you drop me, I promise."

Aro waved Jane off as he looked at me, "You want me to decapitate one of my guards so you can question a head?"

Now I lifted my head from Izzy's neck, "you got any headless bodies lyin' around? If not then, yeah, pretty much where I was goin' with that."

Aro glanced over his shoulder at his brothers, who looked just about as clueless as he did, and tripped over his tongue a little. It would seem that none of the three of them knew that you could use a body of any vampire to obtain use of a random head. We did that kind of shit all the time back in the day. Course, we happened to keep extra bodies in the camp to do it so we didn't have to take this route, but a body is a body; they all do the same thing. One bag of blood and thirty seconds and a head that was buried for a hundred years would be brand spankin' new. Normally overly talkative, and a little nerve shaking but hey, every brain has information in it and this was a really good way to get it when the body was ashes in the wind.

I heard my mate giggle a little before she spoke up, "You know Aro, you do have a new recruit that tried to kill you. Or, there is the other one that questioned your judgment. Personally, I vote you use him."

Jasper snorted hard at that, "Oh, I second that."

The visual of Victoria's head on Edward's body had me smothering my laughter in Izzy's hair. I knew there was a reason I loved this girl. She was sweet as pie until you pissed her off, and this girl could hold a fucking grudge. She might not have the memories needed to fully know why she hates him as much as she did, but it wasn't going to stop her from getting even.

There was a gleam in Aro's eyes as he turned to look at us, the term intrigued would best describe it. After a moment's thought, he nodded and sent for Mr. Cullen.

Clearing my throat so I could get the amusement out of my voice, and TRY and be the soldier I was raised to be, "You'll need a bag of blood to help the fusing process since she has only been a head for over 24 hours. Fair warning, she is gonna be a little pissy."

Aro nodded to me as the door was opened and Edward was brought in, whining about some shit that no one was paying any attention to, Felix on one side and Demetri on the other. It was then that Aro looked at my mate, "I do believe I gave you my word that you would have your chance to get even with Mr. Cullen, Stella. The honor of this is yours."

She actually fucking cackled, as she rubbed her hands together. Her steps were sure and precise, Jasper and I a step behind her, until she was standing right in front of him. His eyes narrowed and he growled at her, to which she responded with a bitch slap; both Jasper and I wincing a little in memory of just how hard the tiny thing can hit. She sidled right up to him and tilted her head back so she was looking him in the eye and smirked, "Oh, I am going to enjoy this." Then she drove her knee right between his legs, dropping him like a fly and making every single male in the room grunt right along with him. One guy off to the other side of the room even cupped his sack while shaking his head.

I set a hand on her shoulder, and when she glanced at me I shook mine too, "Oh, Sugar no man ever deserves something like that, no matter what they do."

She cocked a brow at me in challenge before whipping around and, in one twist of her torso, ripped his fucking head off before tossing it without care over her shoulder. Then she looked at me again with a smirk, "There, now he can't feel it. However, they also probably don't deserve the pleasure of a woman gracing their body but that happens all the time, don't it?"

Saucy, sexy little vixen. I shook my head a little before pulling her out of Jasper's way before dipping my head to her ear, "regardless, the nuts are off limits."

She snorted a little, "I'll keep that in mind."

Wait a minute, what the fuck just happened? While I was staring in shock at my mate, Jasper was attaching Vicky's head to Edward's body while the two brawny fuckers held the arms so once she comes out of the frozen wasteland she cannot actually do anything stupid.

Since she hasn't been without a body that long, it didn't take her but a few seconds before she was lunging at Jasper and pulling at the guards that held her at bay, even shocked as shit that we weren't fucking around with the fact that any head can be put on any body and the head has complete control.

Aro had come to stand behind us and his voice showed his amazement to this, "I had thought that I had seen just about everything until now."

I heard Jasper snort a little, "You obviously never touched a vampire from the southern wars, 'cause we did this shit all the damn time. It's easier to transport the head of a spy, than the whole body." Then he held up the other half of the blood bag right in front of the nose of the red headed bitch, "You want this? Start talking. What was the contingency plan if you fucked up and the Cullens were found out?"

She snarled at him and he tipped the bag, pouring a little of the blood on the floor right in front of her. Real fuckin' quick those snarls turned to whimpers as the splats reached her ears. I was holding tight on the baby in the room 'cause she would attack Jasper for wasting that shit.

After pouring some out he quit and asked again, "The plans bitch. I know you know what they are, and you are gonna tell me if you wanna eat."

It took nearly every drop that was left, and me dragging my mate a few more feet back before Vicky finally gave him what he was after. "All I know is they said something about Matamoras."

Jasper growled a little, "Jesus, for a vampire, you're retarded. It is pronounced 'Matamoros' ya dumb bitch; now continue."

She glanced at him quickly before doing just that. "I only know that because I overheard the leader of the coven talking to the blonde chick when he hired us. The big one, he has connections there. Old family friends or something like that, that would help them if it came to that. James had the better hearing. He would be the one that knew the actual details."

Jasper's head cocked to the side and a growl entered his voice, "the coven leader was the one that hired you?"

She nodded, "Yes, because he knew that the little prick that got involved with her would be an idiot and do something stupid, well stupider anyways, and blow his shit up. I didn't know anything other than who it was that we were supposed to get rid of."

Jasper slowly nodded, "who all knew about you, and what you were hired to do?"

That was when her eyes left the blood bag and looked at him, "all of them were involved in some capacity, some more than others. The little asshole that was the crux of this got involved after you all left the area, saying that if the job was done swiftly there would be a huge bonus."

Once she was done talking, Jasper stood and nodded to the guards and as soon as they let her go, she face planted into the puddle of blood on the floor making Jasper shake his head before looking at me with incredibility on his face, "Every fucking time. Remember that guy way back when, when I did that over a pile of bear shit?"

I grunted as that memory surfaced and nodded. That was one memory however I certainly  
could have done without remembering. The match I dropped on his ass was the definition of a mercy kill.

Izzy was staring at the redhead as she lapped at the floor like a dog, lips pursed and eyes dark and narrowed. My little mate was pissed. I know this because when she spoke she was literally spitting mad, "how much?"

At the sound of Izzy's voice, Vicky's borrowed body froze; her tongue still out on the floor mid-lick. Only her eyes moved to look at her and she gulped a little when she saw her handy work staring her in the face without being restrained. You could watch the memory of the last time she tangoed with my Iz flash before her eyes, so it was no great surprise when that tongue was brought back into her mouth and she sat back on her hunches. It took her minute but she answered, "one million, with a bonus of another if done in a timely manner."

Izzy snarled and took a half step forward, "You hunted me for five years, for a million dollars?" Then she paused a little before glancing over at me and cocked a brow, "Is that a lot?"

I shrugged, "not really. I spend that in six months."

She shook her head a little, "What do you do?"

I chuckled at her, "Not the time Sugar. You were in the middle of somethin'."

She blinked at me a few times before she had her 'ah ha' moment and turned back to Victoria, her head cocked to the side in thought before dropping her face in her hands and shaking her head a little, "This is so fucked up. You were hired to kill me, and they didn't even give you enough to cover your fucking expenses until the job was done. I don't know if I am more insulted, or irritated."

She scrubbed her face with her hands before slipped her fingers into her hair and clasping her fingers behind her head and letting out a little whimper, "my head hurts."

I grabbed her by the arm and twisted her around and pulled her to my chest, scratching her scalp and thrumming a soft purr in my chest under her forehead while looking at Jasper, "You know what this means, right?"

He looked up to the ceiling and curled his lip a little with a growl, "I swear, when I get my fucking hands on them…" Then he looked at me, "She's gonna be pissed."

I shrugged, "And that is supposed to surprise me? The bitch is always pissed. She has had something akin a fake dick shoved up her ass for HOW many years? Little ones will shove anything anywhere but she was old enough to know better." I looked over my shoulder at Aro, who looked overly curious so I filled him in, "The little fuckers are heading to our ol' stomping grounds."

Then I turned back to Jasper, "You still got her card, dontcha?"

He snorted a little, "With big bold letters that says 'Satan's favorite Whore' front and center."

I snickered a little before clearing my throat, "you know the routine here. How long we got before they head south?"

"Takes three days to close out."

I nodded, "Then we still got one day head start. I'ma get the bird ready for flight, and call Garrett to get his ass on the move. Between the three of us, I know we can handle the Cunt Master General."


	17. Chapter 17

An hour later Jasper, Izzy and I were back in the air, Iz overly stuffed silly and a little withdrawn. She was sitting in the seat next to mine just staring out the window at the clouds as they passed by. She hadn't said anything since right before we left the royal city, and all she said then was for Aro to watch his back, that there was something in the shadows lying in wait. When she was asked what that meant, she shrugged, having no idea only that it was a potentially lethal idea for him to let his guard down.

No one had pressed her for anything more than that, Aro indulging her yet again and told her he would keep that in mind. While no one said anything OUT LOUD, Jasper and I glanced at each other and, after we both recalled her knowing that there was a lethal cocktail falling out of the sky paired with that, we both came to the conclusion that her sire had passed her gift of 'preservation' on to her.

Victoria, from what I have been able to understand, was gifted with an over the top self-preservation, where she can get out of things that no one else would have been able to; probably why the leader of the small coven kept her around. When she injected her venom into Izzy, it was passed to her and morphed into a more rounded gift, including others and not just her.

While Iz was staring into space, I was once again looking into the two properties that I was going back and forth over trying to decide on which one we were going to go to once we left Texas. Each one held plenty of reasons to go to, but I was leaning more towards Colorado since that was usually where I was this time of year, and it was in a better location for a growing vamp, but New Mexico had more overall outside land for her to run around so she wasn't inside doing that, and breaking shit.

When I figured out that I wasn't going to be able to make the choice, I nudged Iz and waited until I had her attention, and handed over the printouts I was looking at. She raised a brow at me but took them none the less. When she read what was there, she lifted her eyes from the paper, a curious smile on her lips, "What is this?"

Smiling back, "Those are two properties I own that I thought you might like a little more than the Canadian tundra. Pick one."

She blinked at me before looking back at the papers in her hands, "Just like that?"

I nodded, "Just like that."

She snorted a little before dropping her head back against the seat, looking at me with a bright smile and laughing eyes, "Seriously, what the fuck do you do? You spend a million dollars in six months, have three houses that would accommodate fifty people without them ever seeing each other, and still have money leftover to buy a plane. What the hell do you do?"

Now I smirked, "I actually own a lot more than three houses, Sugar. These were just the ones most suited to your needs. Once you get older and not so temperamental, you'll see them too."

"Seriously, what the fuck do you do? I mean, I know you've been around a little while, but come the fuck on? How do you really afford all this?"

I shrugged, "Like you said, I've been around awhile… and so has the stock market and Las Vegas. I know how to play the system and there is no vampire alive that will get caught counting cards; well, most won't. I went with this guy about ten years ago and that little fucker had to be the worst bluffer ever born. Either he was the biggest idiot known to creation, or he was doing that shit on purpose."

She just giggled a little before looking back at the papers in her hands, taking a little more time going over what they said. After a few minutes she handed me the one for the Colorado house. "I like this one better I think." Then she cocked her head to the side and pulled the picture on the New Mexico page a little closer to her face squinting at something. After a moment she pointed to it and looked at me, "Who's that?"

I didn't need to look at what she was talking about; I knew what it was and sighed a little as I took the page anyways, "Charlotte."

Izzy's head cocked a little more as she looked over my forearm at the picture again, "The girl you got all pissed off about before?"

I nodded, "Yup, that's her."

She lifted her eyes and looked at me through her lashes, "You never did tell me about her like you said you would." She didn't sound upset, just curious.

Sighing lightly again, I threw an arm around her shoulders and told her all about the little whore, starting from the beginning to when I torched her ass, along with an entire house full of her little playmates. She listened to the whole thing, only asking two questions over the five hours, and once I was done, she went silent again, her thoughts swirling in her eyes. She still wasn't upset or even irritated, just thoughtful for a few minutes.

After she ordered her thoughts, she glanced up at me, "Do you miss her?"

I snorted, "About as much as the ability to get STDs. Char was something of an acquired taste, demanding and damning, easy to piss off and quick to point out other's faults, while thinking she didn't have any."

She nodded and pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, her brows drown, "If she hadn't done that and was still alive, would you still have helped me?"

I tightened my hold on her and lifted her chin with the side of a finger, "Without question, Sugar." Then I smirked a little and dipped my head and whispered into her ear, "Still would have bit the shit out of your neck too."

At that she just giggled. Adorable little demon. Then she snuggled into my side and set her head on my shoulder, "So, about these little assholes, the ones that hired the redhead, how are you going to find them?"

There was a snort behind us prompting her to roll her head on my shoulder and look up at Jasper as he leaned on the back of our seats with a brow cocked. Jasper glanced at me before looking at her, "we're not. They're heading into the territory of someone you don't fuck with unless you want to die."

Her lips pursed a little, "who's?"

At that he sighed a little, "my sire, Maria. She is a cold hearted little cunt that would sooner take your head, than look at you."

Izzy's eyes widened a little at that, "then why…"

He cut her off, "vampire courtesy. We know that by the time we get to her, the Cullens will be well within the borders of her territory. All we are going to do is inform her of a coven encroaching on her land and let her deal with it. There is nothing that we could do to them that she cannot top, and in much shorter order. Maria doesn't do sharing, be it land or humans. The Cullens don't eat humans to live, but I highly doubt that she is gonna care. If there really is close ties to one of them in her territory, she doesn't know about them or they're human.

"Either way, she won't care. If they are humans, they are hers by right of territory and if they are vampires, they are trespassing on her land. She has held the same very large section of southern Texas and northern Mexico for over three hundred years and is not about to let anyone else reap the benefits of her work to keep it."

Iz looked at him a long moment, thinking over what he said before nodding, "but, I was under the impression from the story Peter just told me, that it was dangerous for you two to go back."

I snickered and Jasper shrugged, the confident Major that I have always known coming out and settling in a self-assured mask, "The bitch is in fact no to one to fuck with, but neither am I or Peter. There was a reason she didn't try and stop me when I left. She knew she couldn't."

At the look that Izzy gave him, Jasper walked around and sat across from her, lacing his fingers together in front of him and leaned on his forearms on his knees, "It's about time you learned a little something about us. You know that vampires have extra abilities that humans don't right?" She nodded and he continued, "There are a few vampires that extra abilities above and beyond those. You recall when Aro said something about gifted vampires back in Italy?" Again she nodded, "Both Peter and I are among the gifted vampires he spoke about, you too from what it looks like. Peter can explain his gift to you another time when he figures out the best way to do so, because his is a little hard to understand. Mine on the other hand is pretty straight forward.

"I'm empathic, meaning that I have the added ability to manipulate the emotional climate to whatever the fuck I want, with no more than the will to do so. I can also feel the emotional climate of those around me. Take now for instance; you are confused, intrigued, a little scared and it is getting close to time to feed you again because you're getting thirsty."

Her eyes went a little wider and filled with innocent wonder as he listed off what she was feeling. After a moment, she shook her head, "wow. Are you ever affected by the things you feel?"

He nodded, "I can be if taken off guard, or the emotion is strong enough. That's what caused me to try and attack you a few years back. Since I can feel the thirst of those around me, when you cut your finger in a closed area with six other vampires, one of which you were the singer too, their thirst combined was enough to break through my defense. I felt that and acted accordingly. Had you cut yourself with only me present, it never would have happened."

She blinked at him, "What's a singer?"

He smiled at her, "That is something in our world that no one understands. All I can tell you is your blood sang to him, smelled better and more potent and more delicious than any other human on the planet."

She made a noise at that but didn't comment on it. There was really nothing to say to it so she moved on and looked at me, "What about you? What extra ability do you have?"

I hummed in my throat a little as I thought of the best way to explain it. Finally I tisked, "I guess you can call it 'intuition'. I hear voices in my head that tell me different things, ranging from little details about the best place to catch a meal, to more important things about my life. If it has nothing to do with me personally, I don't hear a word, but if there is anything that affects me in even the smallest of ways, the little fuckers start talking a mile a minute and I am left sorting it out. It's what led me to finding you, actually. It didn't tell me what I was going to find, only where to go and when to be there."

Both her brows were in her bangs by the end of that. It was far more involved than that but it was the easiest way to explain it. She then started looking back and forth between us, "and what do you think I got that others don't?"

"Preservation; that is the only way you could have known about Alice, and the little bombs she dropped on our heads, and that there was something up that Aro needed to know about. We think that you got it from your sire. She had an over the top self-preservation that allowed her to find her way out of tight spots that no one else could have. Yours evolved from that, to include others around you."

She growled a little at the mention of her sire, but over time she is gonna learn that she got a lot of her vampiric abilities from her. Just like humans, we got most of our DNA from our parent and no matter if you like 'em or hate 'em that was the way it was.

After we covered Izzy's little racial lesson, I fed her before pulling her into the onboard 'office'. The plane was originally built for CEOs and big wig corporate executives but I saw her and fell in love at first sight. It wasn't a huge plane but it fit what I was looking for at the time.

Once I closed the door, I pressed my mate up against it and pressed myself against her, pressing my lips to hers. I told her we were doing this before the sun hit the horizon and I damn well meant it, and if Jasper did anything to prevent me from completely claiming my mate, I was shoving his ass out over the Atlantic.

Taking both her wrists in one hand, I held them above her head and used my free one to unbutton her shirt before running my hand over her bare skin. God she was soft. Lowering my hand, I gripped her hip and pulled her harder against me, groaning lightly at the feel of the wetness I could already feel, the scent driving my desire right on up there. Lowering my hand just a little more, I grabbed her thigh and lifted it up over my hip, her responding beautifully and hopping up to wrap the other around me as well.

Pulling away from the door, my lips still on hers, I carried her over to the couch and laid her down, once again holding her hands above her head so her perfect set of tits pressed a little harder against my chest when her back arched. I debated quickly about the amount of foreplay we were about to partake in, but when she rolled her little hips, that decision was made for me; not a lot. Growling in approval to the action, I nipped at her lips and entered when she parted them, growling a little louder at once again tasting her perfect flavor on my tongue.

Pulling away only long enough to pull my shirt over my head, I looked at her as I tossed it off to the side, a smirk coming to my lips as she stared unabashed at my chest. A lusty little growl in my throat, I bent back down over her, "See something you like, Mate?" She licked her lips, the smallest of nods moving her head making me chuckle lightly. Dipping my head to hers, I nuzzled her nose lightly as I just tore her bra off, "touch me."

Her touch was soft and unsure at first, her fingers running over the planes of my pecks, down to my stomach, the tip of her tongue bitten between her teeth as she explored, her eyes following everywhere she touched. After a moment she became a little more confident, pressing the pads of her fingers a little harder as they glided over my skin. My upper torso was absolutely covered in scars and teeth marks, hundreds if not thousands of teeth impressions making what would have been smooth stone bumpy and ragged. I was a scary lookin' fucker to our kind because every mark was a token left behind by a vampire I destroyed. I have hundreds, more than any other vampire I have ever met, Jasper included.

My little Sugar however, didn't seem to give a fuck. With every ridge she touched, her eyes darkened a little more, the scent of her arousal growing in the room to the point that I couldn't even smell myself over her want. Once her fingers glided over every inch of my exposed skin, her eyes lifted to look in mine, orbs of darkness so black that the sky before dawn would be jealous.

A cocky ass smirk lifted my lips as I saw pure and perfect lust and desire swirling in the inky depths. Another growl sounded in my throat as I once again took her lips with mine, holding myself up with one hand as the other one slid down her side to her pants that were in my fucking way. Rising up to sit on my hunches, I had her bare to my eyes in no time, once again trying to decide which I wanted more, her essence on my tongue or on my cock. Taking into account that this was her first time doing this as a vampire, I figured that it would be better for her to have her tight sheath as lubricated as possible because the start of this was not going to be pleasant.

That and I was hard enough to feel actual pain in my loins.

Her eyes locked on my hands as I moved to undo my belt, eyes going that much darker once it was unbuckled and I unbuttoned my jeans. Removing them as well, I flashed a teeth filled smirk at her when her eyes widen to owlish size at seeing MY captain standing at full and complete attention. Her eyes moved to mine for a split second before moving back, one of her little hands reaching out and very lightly touching the tip of it.

Then she looked up at me, "That ain't gonna fit."

A throaty chuckle rumbled my chest as I leaned back over her, locking eyes, "Wanna bet?"

"It's bigger than I am."

Well, this girl certainly knows how to boost the male ego, don't she? Another growlish chuckle sounded from me as I dipped my head and nuzzled my mark on her neck before scraping my teeth across it making her gasp and buckle her hips a little, the tip of my cock in perfect position to slide just inside her opening. Glancing at her out of the corner of my eye, I pressed my lips against my mark before sliding my teeth into it, her hips bucking again, far harder this time and sheathing me deep enough to break her barrier and I took it from there, rolling my hips once until mine were touching hers. She choked on the scream from the pain that caused her, and I stayed still until she adjusted.

It took her a moment, but she eventually shifted her weight a little and the moan told me that she was good to go. The pace I set to start was slow and sensual, getting her used to the feel before I began to speed up a little at time, each stroke more forceful than the last.

Her head tilted back as far as it could with my teeth still in her neck, her mouth dropped open, little meows and gasps coming out when they didn't get stuck in her throat. Her legs shifted and rose higher on my hips, opening her more and allowing me deeper inside her body. Her arms going around my neck and fingers digging into my back, I found her hidden oasis of pleasure. She tried to keep up with my movements but whenever she got a feeling for them, I would change my speed or angle making her tremble and shake with her pleasure.

The knot in my gut began to tighten since it had been a while since the last time I got laid, but she was going first, and more than once if I had a say. Slipping one hand between us, I found the glorious clit and pressed a finger to it before pinching and rolling it once with a bit of roughness. That was all it took for her clamp down around me like a vice, squeezing so hard that I was nearly unable to move at all as she screamed my name. Dear Jesus, I hope she stays this tight for the rest of eternity. That would be fucking fantastic.

It, however, had its downside, because all I did after that was pump my hips one more time and the strength in which she was strangling my dick when I tried for one more pulled me with her into the abyss of paradise. With a snarl, I bit down on her neck harder, my venom entering my mark again as well as filling her southern chamber, burning the stone hymen away to nothing, and scaring the passage slightly so it didn't come back. This also cemented our mating bond. Females don't bite during sex so we were as connected as two vampires are able to be right now. Also, at this point, there was probably more of my venom in her than her own; my more potent venom burning hers away so she lost her scent nearly completely.

I didn't really have the time before to appreciate the taste of her venom, but now I did and dear fuck, it was like ambrosia. Since she was only a month old, her venom still tasted like her human blood because, to a point, she still had it; it was what made newborns so fucking strong. They still had blood in their veins and not just absorbed into their muscles after eating. It takes a year to thirteen months for our venom to completely destroy our humanity, and by then, she would have so much of my venom in her, you wouldn't know I wasn't her sire if you didn't know otherwise.

As it is, you could barely tell now, and that was exactly what I wanted by the time we reached our destination. I wanted there to be absolutely NO mistaking who the fuck this girl belonged to around however many males Maria had in camp.

After pumping a suitable amount of venom into her neck, my dick quit pulsing and her walls loosened their grip on me, I pulled out of her and removed my teeth from her neck, licking at my mark to sooth it again before nuzzling and licking it for the hell of it. After my mating mark was showered with enough attention, I pulled back and looked at my mate's face, taking in her closed eyes and trembling lips as she gasped for air she didn't need.

Once she opened her eyes and looked back at me, I smirked at her, "Told ya it would fit."

She snorted hard before she started laughing; the ecstasy riddled sound bouncing off the walls making me smile down at her. She really was fucking adorable.


	18. Chapter 18

Once I got us dressed again and making the mental note to get my mate more clothes when I was able to, I fed her again before we rejoined Jasper in the main area of the jet. He was reading a book he found not looking in the least bit fazed by our little romp in the sheets. When I sat down, I pulled Izzy into my lap instead of letting her sit in her own, nuzzling my mark again. I was like a man possessed when it came to her. I literally couldn't stop touching her in some way or another.

Jasper didn't look up from his book, "Feel better?"

I didn't pull my face from my mate's neck, "Marginally. So, how we gonna do this?"

I saw him shrug a shoulder at the question, "same way we always do. Show the bitch who's boss."

I smirked into Izzy's neck and chuckled dark and deep. Oh, this was going to be so much fun. "I call point."

Again, Jasper just shrugged, "Your mate, your call. I got your back, don't you worry about that."

At that I snorted, "Didn't think otherwise, Major." It was then I looked up at him, "you are the Major, right?"

It was then he glanced at me, bright red and amused eyes locking on mine. "If I wasn't, do you really think I would be stupid enough to waltz back into the past? Don't you worry none about who you got watching your back, Captain."

Shifting a little, I kicked his shin and smirked wide, "'bout fuckin' time, Jackass. Not gonna  
lie here, I really thought I was gonna have to beat him out of you."

He chuckled a little before going back to his book, "I would have loved to see you try."

And that took any doubt that my Major was alive and well away giving me a case of the warm fuzzies. I love the fucker no matter what face he wears, but this Hale shit was gonna drive me batshit crazy or give me a complex or some shit.. With the major you knew what you were getting into, as dangerous and fucked up as it was. But the Hale persona that he has been living for sixty plus years was a different story. You never knew when he was going to stand the fuck up and be a man or if he was gonna bitch out and leave ya hangin'.

Even still, the asshole in me couldn't just sit back and let that one go. "One of these days we gonna have to have a little fight to test that. You got your confidence back but I still say that I can take you in a one on one, no gift involving spar."

His eyes sparked a little as he shifted them to look at me, "You think so, Captain?"

I nodded, "I know so Major. When was the last time you whooped ass without fucking with your opponent at any point?" His eyes narrowed a little but he didn't say anything so I did, "'bout the time you gained full control over your gift is what I reckon. I ain't ever had an active gift to fall back on, so I never got overly cocky with my abilities. I know how to whoop some ass with my bare hands."

He nodded, "I was the one that taught you to do so, Captain, so be careful."

I shrugged, "Sides the point, Major. You taught me the basics but I honed and built that shit to what I can do now on my own. You pull some Hale shit during this blast to the past and you gonna see just how much I learned over the last 148 years since if you fuck up my mate could get hurt. I won't just fuck you up Jazz, I'll fucking kill you."

He glanced at my Sugar a moment, seeing her head turn back and forth between us watching the game of tennis before looking back at me and nodding, "fair enough" and going back to his book.

A few hours later we reached land again and touched down to refuel. I took that time to call and get Garrett's location and ETA to the rendezvous point. He was apparently running a little behind having got caught up in the planes during daylight hours but was in route and closing. He was only going to be about an hour or so later than what was originally figured; something that was easy to work with on our end.

It wasn't a horribly long flight from where we landed to where we were going, only about two hours and perfectly timed to the setting of the sun. The first order of business was to get the youngin fed and not gonna lie, I was rather hungry myself. I can go about a week before my thirst even begins to make itself known and a month before I become a dangerous little fucker to a whole mass of humans. That came from my upbringing though and, while it was nice to be able to go so long without eating, it wasn't really recommended. As it was, it had been over two weeks since the last time I ate and I knew Jasper was hungry as well.

So, off to slums of Houston to scrounge up something to eat. I stayed with Izzy while Jasper hunted for himself as well as her and while she ate, I went myself. While I was there, I did a little shopping and got my Sugar something to put on because I knew she was gonna need something and she was out of clothes. When I packed for the trip to Italy, I wasn't planning on either the impromptu trip down memory lane nor did I have plans at the time to relocate to a different area. Oh well, it's not like she is ever going to grow out of what she has in Canada so she can wear it next time we go.

Once that chore was done, I made my way back to my mate and Jasper, seeing she had just finished and Jasper was taking care of the cleanup for me. Ain't he a nice guy? Calling Izzy over when I got to her, I got her changed. Taking a step back, I cocked my head to the side, taking in the outfit I got her trying to decide what it was about it that I loved so much.

She looked fuckhot but that went without saying. It was a black and red halter top that would leave her neck exposed that only went down to between her chest and belly button leaving her stomach visible and a pair of jeans that road low on her hips. I also got her a pair of boots since we were here and there ain't nowhere better to get them then either Houston or Austin. I was a good 'ol southern boy at heart and she looked like a belle gone bad. That was probably what it was. All she needed was a Stetson and she would be the exact vision of this daydream I had about a week ago.

Well, looks like I got one more stop to make before we head to Colorado.

I had just finished my inspection when Garrett showed up, backpack with the few things I wanted him to grab on his back. Taking it from him, I opened it and tossed Jasper the black cargo pants and bandanna that was inside before zipping it back up and shrugging it on. Giving Jasper the minute it took him to change, we formed our plan to handle the camp before setting off through the wood due south and straight into the one place the three of us males said we would never go to again.


	19. Chapter 19

About fifty miles from where we were going, we crossed the scent trails that we were really hoping to find. Seems they were a hurry to cross the border because they were on foot and not taking other means to cross. Perfect, if the bitch questioned us, all she had to do was send a scout because we crossed the border of her territory about ten miles ago.

Both Jasper and I had every one of our senses honed into our surroundings looking for scouts and the like because we didn't want her to know we were here until we were there. It would ruin our fun and everyone knows not to ruin that.

It was only ten minutes later that we left the woods and entered ground zero. I felt Izzy shudder as she looked around the area and saw the conditions of the army camp that both Jasper and I grew up in. Nothing really changed over the last century. It was still overrun by infants and understaffed by adult supervision. If you looked to the right you would see a brawl and if you looked to the left you would see an orgy. It was the way it was when you couldn't control the overflow of newborn and keep them occupied.

She tightened her grip on my arm and lowered her voice, "where are we?"

It was Jasper that answered, "Hell." Then he looked around and nodded to the left, "This way."

Izzy grunted a little as her nose scrunched up but put up no fight as I pulled her along with me. We were being followed by every single set of eyes in camp as we headed to the only constructed building in the area. None of us three guys were wearing a shirt, our scars from our time spent in their shoes fully and completely visible for every last one of them.

It wasn't enough of a deterrent for one little fucker however.

Izzy had let go of my arm at one point as she was looking around where I was born and taking it all in, slowing a little out of curiosity when someone old enough to fucking know better grabbed her arm and yanked her close to him. I whipped around with a snarl but still heard him when he spoke to her.

"Well, aren't you a pretty little thing."

He was going to kiss her but found my fist instead. I hit him so hard in fact that my hand actually went completely through him and out the back of his head. It didn't take more than a twist of the wrist to decapitate his ass. Glaring at the body as it fell to the ground I crushed what was left of his head in my hands before looking at my startled mate.

Pointing a finger in her face, "you…" pointing next to me, "right here. Don't you leave my side again, ya hear? This ain't a place you wanna be on your own."

She was quick to both nod and latch back onto my arm, this time holding so tightly that I was little worried she might rip it off. Catching back up to Jasper and Garrett, who had stopped and waited for me to retrieve my mate, we continued to the cabin.

Half way from our point of entry to our destination was when things went tits up and ass down. The wind shifted with the coming storm taking our scents to the occupants of the cabin bringing them out, giving us an eye full of the Devil's Mistress and her little pets.

There was only a small flicker of confusion over her face before it took on the persona of the bitch we all know and hate; the mask of superiority and ownership. A smile that I remember all too fucking well lifting at her lips as she set eyes on Jasper and I. I might have fucked up her shit but to her, I was as precious a possession as Jasper was. My ability to 'know shit' was as useful as anything when dealing with hoards of babies and pissed off demons.

Her eyes slid to Garrett and they widened a bit at the sight of him and his scars. While Garrett was raised in a camp further west, she knew well that he was still a southern vamp and as such, valuable. Then she set her sights on my Sugar for a fleeting moment, not lingering too long on a newborn that to her was completely expendable. From the way her grip tightened on my arm I knew my Sugar wanted to hide but her instincts wouldn't allow her to back down from another female, even one that carried scars.

There was a hum on the air drawing my attention from Izzy to the Cunt Mater General, cocking a brow at the look on her face as she returned her eyes to my girl. Maria gave her another once over before turning her eyes to me, "you have been such a naughty, busy boy, haven't you, Mon Captain? The last time I saw you, you were risking your neck for a worthless yearling."

I smirked wide and flashed a few teeth, not missing the way she tightened her spine to not show just how afraid of me she was, "last I saw you, you were cryin' like a babe over me stealing the Major here. Looks like I good at takin your shit, aren't I?"

The look on her face darkened a little at that, "some things never change. You still know how to work my last nerve. I should have had you destroyed instead of indulging my Major in keeping you around."

I chuckled a little, "You're right, you should have. Told ya that ninety years ago but ya never did know how to listen, did ya?"

She glared at me and narrowed her eyes, "I am curious, Captain, what gave you balls to come to back?"

I snorted, "I ain't back Bitch, you get that shit straight right now. However, I am here to rub your nose in your fuck up. You slacken off and it gonna cost ya. Or is it like I knew all along and you ain't shit without him." And I tilted my head to Jasper just to make sure she knew who I was talking about. "Seems you got few permanent reminders of his absence."

She snarled at me. I knew I was pushing buttons but I didn't give a shit. The bitch was nothing without Jazz and he was firmly on my side.

Izzy was, up to that point, silent as the dead but when the Cunt Master General showed aggression towards me, she responding in kind, snarling back and snapping her teeth. Her muscles began to coil in preparation of attacking physically so I got ready for it and when she lunged, I used the arm she just let go of to wrap around her waist and scooped her off the ground, twisting her a bit and setting her back down in front of me, wrapping both arms around her shoulders and pressing the tip of a finger into my mark on her neck, stilling her instantly.

While I got my girl under control, Maria was deciding what she was about to do. I dipped my head and breathed into Izzy's ear so only she would hear me, "You 'member your fighting lessons?" her head jerked a little in a nod and I smiled against her skin, "then you tear some shit up, ya hear?"

She looked at me out of the corner of her eye, the bright red a shade darker than it was a moment ago. She then shifted them back to Maria and narrowed them a little before looking back and lowering her voice, "something isn't right."

It was like that simple three letter sentence lifted the blinds and opened the door to the crazies in my head. Everyone talking at once, I was so over loaded with information that I was deaf to everything else going on around me. There was roaring in my ears, a buzzing so loud that it blocked the sounds of snarls and growls from the little demon in my arms right in front of me. Dots were connected that I didn't know were there to be put together but it was not painting a very pretty picture. Little snips of dialog and subtle warnings were now going off with air horn pitch and making me feel like the stupidest mother fucker aliveish.

It was the pain of Izzy's heel driving into my foot that pulled me out of it and when I looked up at the Cunt Master General, I saw fucking red. However, the many years that I spent under her control and demands gave me the tools to deal with this. She was fucked up in more ways than one if she thought that Jasper was her biggest problem. No, that was me and I was going to fuck this bitch up but good.

Rolling my shoulders to get the tension out of my neck, I let out a shallow breath and sent a wave of 'follow my lead' and 'I'll explain later' to Jasper like I used to the last time we were here and waited for the expected response from him before dipping my head and whispering to Izzy, "follow your gut, every step of the way. Do not question what it tells you, you just do it."

The really shitty part of this is there was no other way out of it. There was nothing we could do if we wanted to get out of this alive. We were gonna have to play a game with no rules and no end if we were going to survive because I never saw that coming, never saw or had any idea that the little candy asses were so fucked up and so cold as to actually create a relationship with the little cunt and form a bond over the same person.

This whole thing revolved around Izzy, my Sugar, my mate. She was the only one that could exonerate the Cullens of their crimes of her being in our world as a human and the only way for that to happen would be for her to join their coven and speak for them during judgment. I still didn't know why the little bastards felt it was necessary to involve Maria in this, but since they did, we were just going to have to deal with the cards we were dealt.

We didn't have a lot as far as aces in the hole at the moment, but the one we did have was the biggest we could have hoped for; the fact that she was my mate barred her from joining any coven that I didn't as well. It was arguable that she was actually already a member of one because of Garrett, but everyone knew that both he and I were nomads, neither of us wanting to deal with all the bullshit that came with a coven or the responsibility of being a coven leader. We preferred to roam wherever our feet decided to take us whenever they decided to.

That shit aside for now, I glanced at Jasper before looking back at Maria when I heard her tisk a little. He was about to lose his shit and there was nothing that could be done about it. "It matters little, I suppose, that you took him. From what I have heard, he is nothing but a little pussy these days and has been for years; nothing like the Major I knew and the one I see is just as pathetic as the one I heard of. Losing battles, allowing others to speak for him; protecting the weak instead of destroying them. How the mighty have fallen to the abyss of worthlessness. I don't want him anyways…" Then she looked at my mate, "I want her."

Izzy went rigid in my hold, her hands tightening around my arms. I just tightened my grip on her, not showing the bitch anything of what was flying through my mind. Before Izzy could say what was on the tip of her tongue and start the brawl that was gearing to begin just yet, I shook my head, "You ain't takin' my mate."

I might have taken just a little more pleasure out of the pure shock that she was doused in at the announcement than I should have, but it was fucking funny. I watched her eyes spark a little as she tried to figure out the best way to still get my Sugar and knew when she settled on her course of action. She got a saucy little smile and raised a brow at me, "but what of the yearling you ran with?"

I shrugged, "dead."

"You must be so heartbroken over her death. I know to what lengths you went to for her to live."

Again I just shrugged, "Not really; I was the one that killed her." Then I glared at her, "the whore aside, you ain't takin' my mate."

Maria looked at me for a moment before she crossed her arms, her face pinching in her anger. "Then I will just have to do this instead."

And just like that, the signal that Jasper and I knew all too fucking well was given and we were knee deep in that shit I told Jasper about back in Canada. I released my hold on Izzy with one more warning to follow her gut before I whirled around to face off with the group of unfed babies that gave up on getting laid in lieu of a good fight, but not before I saw Maria bitch out and leap out of the way and land on her cabin to watch as her army faced off with the two most dangerous vampires on the planet.

Jasper and I fell back into the swing of the past seamlessly, teaming and pairing up just like old times while Garrett too was given a refresher course in newborns. While I was fighting alongside Jasper, my eye never once left my mate as she twirled and twisted like a dancer around the morons that were trying to get their hands on her. A few got lucky and landed bites or scratches, but none of them got lucky enough to actually cause any real damage.

Jasper and I have done this enough together to know exactly what to do; Jasper would zap them with some 'chill the fuck out' and I would rip their fucking heads off before drop kicking the head as far from the body as I could. I was well aware that we couldn't actually win the overall fight; there was too many of them even for us, but that didn't mean we couldn't put quite a few of them down before they got the upper hand.

We did too, just under half of them before I heard the sound of my mate's scream, throwing both Jasper and I off just enough for a few of the older ones to take us to the ground. It took five apiece to keep us there, too. I felt a hand grab my hair and yank my head back and out of the dirt, a growl ripping from my throat at them nearly ripping my hair out. If I didn't like my hair so fucking much I would really consider cutting it off.

When I opened my eyes, I growled again, much louder and much darker at the sight of my mate on her knees being held down by three brand spankin' new babies, her hair in Maria's grip with her other hand around her throat, fingertips pressed against the skin in preparation of taking her head off, an overly satisfied look on the cunt's face.

There was triumph in her voice as she looked at me, "I cannot kill you without destroying her; but then again," Then she looked at my Sugar and jerked her head back a little more to look her in the eye pulling a grunt from Izzy's throat before looking back at me, "there was nothing in the deal that said she needed to be functioning, just in one piece."

I snarled at her and tugged at the hold on my wrists, jerking hard enough to break the hold of one but not enough to get free completely. So, I did it again, freeing the same wrist only to freeze when Iz whimpered at the feel of Maria's clawed fingers digging farther into her neck, growling low in my chest again as the bitch smirked at me.

"Ah, ah Captain; I only need her, I do not need you. If you want her to keep her sanity, you will agree to my terms or she will watch as you are once again consumed by flames. Only this time, there will be no life on the other side awaiting you."

I bared my teeth at her, still growling at a low pitch that rattled the limbs holding me down. "What do you want?"

Now she smiled a nasty little grin, "I lost a great deal of my land when you stole my Major and you will aid me in getting it back or your little bitch here will pay the price of your treason. What is it going to be, Captain; your compliance until I get every inch of land I lost back or your mate?"

My growl grew in volume, but I wasn't really given a choice in the matter; "Fine."

At that, the bitch actually purred, "good boy" but released my mate and called off the dogs that held us down.

Izzy snapped her teeth at Maria before darting right to me, slamming into my chest where I wrapped my arms around her and dipped my head down. To the Cunt Master General it looked like I was nuzzling my mark but really I was talking into Izzy's ear, "good job Sugar." She didn't say anything back, just pressed herself closer to me, her body trembling a little and different muscles twitching from the bites she got.

Lifting my eyes from her neck but keeping my face down, I narrowed them at Maria, "Well, how we gonna do this, Cunt Master General?"

She growled at me for calling her the name I dubbed her with a long ass time ago, but answered none the less, "Your life once again belongs to me until I get my land back. And remember, Captain, you step a toe out of line and your mate suffers the consequences."

I growled at her, swallowing the remark on my tongue for the time being. I told the bitch she fucked up and I meant it. It might not have been the way I had originally thought, but this was worse. I was the absolute last son of a bitch you wanted to threaten like that. When it came to getting information I was a 'beat the shit out of you first then ask a question' kind of guy but in this situation, when I had something hanging over my head that had the power to destroy me, it was the exact opposite. I could lie in wait for years, decades even, before I acted on it and by then, you never saw it coming.

I had to do the last thing I ever wanted to do with my mate but it was the only way at the moment to keep her safe. I was going to have to teach her to be a monster in order to keep her alive long enough for the opportune moment to surface and when that happened, the demonic bitch that I was being forced to turn my mate into was going to be the one to do the seemingly impossible and end this bitch.

Jasper, who I had actually forgotten about as wrapped up in my vengeance as I was, hit me hard with 'chillax', drawing my attention from the walking cunt to him, a growl still in my chest. He simply cocked a brow at me, shifting what he was making me feel to the emotional words of 'I got your back' before forcing me to calm the fuck back down so I could actually think about more than restarting the war with the little fucktards I was about to once again be in command of.

Mother fucker.

Still growling a little I looked back at Maria, "feed the little fuckers and get me your plans.

She narrowed her eyes, "Be careful Captain."

I cocked a brow at her, "You want your shit; get me what I need to do it. Can't really expect results if I got incompetent assholes that are starving and distracted to work with, can you? Feed the little fuckers while we work some shit out."


	20. Chapter 20

A little while later Jasper, Garrett, Izzy and I were in the only building on site, maps and plans spread out on the table in the midst of an argument over the best way to go about this shit; well the three of us guys were, Izzy was just there so I could keep an eye on her. There was no way in fuck she was leaving my sight at any time for the foreseeable future. I knew the minute I turned my back, the Cunt Mater General would use it to her advantage and put me in an even less desirable position that there wouldn't be a way out of and there was zero chance that I was hanging out any longer than I was already being forced to.

While the three of us guys were trying to figure out where to start, Izzy peaked at the map and pointed at the furthest point from where we were, "Why not start here? If you get this area under your control, couldn't you then use that battle tactic, I don't know what it's called, but when you come at an enemy from both sides so the opposition can't retreat?"

There was a growl from my left as Jasper plopped down in a chair, a really nasty look on his face. I knew what he was thinking about; the last battle that lost the civil war for the Confederacy; something that the former confederate was still a little salty about. This was a tactic that worked well for his side of the war, but just a little better for the, wait for it… "stupid fucking Yankees." Ah, there it is.

It was the snarl he said that in that had Izzy about jumping out of her skin. She slowly turned wide eyes on the Major before she blinked at his posture and looked up at me, "Did I say something wrong?"

I smiled at her, "Naw, you're alright, Sugar. The Major here has had some less than pleasant experience with that particular scenario, that's all." Looking at him out of the corner of my eye, "and apparently 151 years, seven months, two weeks and four days ain't enough to get over it."

He just glared at me but didn't say anything about it, just growled once more before looking at Izzy, "it's a right fine idea Darlin'. The only problem with it is the vampire that holds that area of land has allies on the far side, putting us in that position instead. We would have to go farther out for it to work and the further south you go, the stronger opposition you have to face."

She scratched her head before looking at the map of the area we were enlisted to retain and sighed, "Oh, never mind then." Then she pursed her lips before cocking her head to the side, "what about calling Aro? He said if we needed anything to call him."

I nuzzled her temple with my nose a little before pressing a kiss to it, "can't do that either Sugar. Even under duress, I still agreed to break the law and create a newborn army. I can handle this, done it before, but I have zero desire to serve on the Royal Guard with you so young. It's best he stay in Italy for now." Once she nodded a little, I turned to look at Jasper, "the only option we have is to go old school; turn and train."

He groaned a little as his head dropped back on the headrest of the chair, "God damn it."

I grunted a little. I wasn't a fan of the idea either, but we didn't have a choice. We had forty square miles to take back over and there wasn't any other way to do it than to take it back by force; one mile at a time.

Once the sun set that night, I took my mate on a run to get her out of the camp where she was able to calm down and fuck shit up without getting in trouble for it. This was literally the longest day of my fucking life, having to stand back and watch her get her ass handed to her by this person or that one and discipline her for retaliation. I knew that she understood what was going on and I knew that she didn't blame me for my part in the pain and shit she dealt with today, but that didn't mean I didn't blame myself and hate my unlife just a little more.

It was only because Jasper kept me from feeling the emotions I was supposed to at seeing, or having a hand in, her getting hurt that I'm still even a little sane at the moment. My mate was pushed to and past her limits of hunger and toleration of others making her snappy and overly pissy, putting me in the worst position of my life when I had to, for the first time, force her submission through actual force. Before I could simply restrain her until she complied. Now I had to cause her pain to do it through either bites or nearly ripping off a body part because, believe it or not, it was the lesser of two evils. I would rather deal out her discipline than have the other newborns gang up on her because they resented her due to special treatment.

Every time I let her go, there was always understanding in her eyes when I looked at her, but I really would have rather saw anger, borderline hate or loathing, because then it wouldn't hurt as bad.

Once we reached the edge of the city, I decided to take my chances with my starving mate among the masses because I wasn't leaving her with anyone else, not even Jasper or Garrett. All four of us were playing a part and none of it could look to others like that was what was going on. I knew this area just as well now as I did then so I took her straight to where she could kill however many she wanted to in any way she wanted to and it wouldn't matter. Death and destruction run amuck so much that the humans would never know what caused it and really wouldn't care anyways.

She killed ten humans, only eating four, before turning her blood covered face my direction, her eyes bright red and curious as she cocked a brow at me, "why are you being so stubborn?"

I raised a brow back, "about what?"

She snorted and crossed her arms, "calling for help? I know you don't like this and I sure as fuck don't. There isn't anything wrong with calling in reinforcements, Peter."

I sighed a little as I crooked a finger at her, wrapping my arms around her waist when she was within reach. "Told ya Sugar, my ass is on the chopping block for…"

She shook her head, "there is a huge difference between agreeing to do something and actually doing it. You haven't done anything wrong yet."

Setting my forehead against hers, "I certainly…" Seems she's still a little pissy.

She growled a little before pulling back a bit, "will you just fucking trust me and make the Goddamn call? You want me to trust my gut but why should I when YOU won't?"

I pushed her out and held her at arms-length, staring her dead in the eyes, "what are talking about?"

She shook her head, "I don't know. All I know is you HAVE to make the call. I can handle getting my ass kicked for now but I cannot handle the possibility of you getting sentenced to death for your part in whatever's coming. You said that…"

I clasped a hand over her mouth as I was once again aided by her words. Mother fucking god damn bitch. I really was going to kill the cunt when I got the chance. I was going to make a call alright, but it wasn't going to be to Aro just yet. I pulled my phone out and called the Major. He needed to know the army we were training wasn't going to be used as we thought; it was going to be used in something far more fucked up and I walked right into it.

*X*

Jasper and Garrett showed up that the warehouse as I was hanging up the phone with Aro, who was surprising understanding of the situation, telling me to do what I had to for my mate and he will deal with it on his end. Slipping my phone into my pocket, I cocked a brow at him, "you weren't followed, were you?"

He shook his head, "for a bit, but when dealing with children…" Then he crossed his arms, "so, this shit sucks."

I snorted, "Just a bit. For the very first time, I have no idea what to do here."

He cocked a brow at me, "I can't imagine the position you're in, Peter, and I know it can't be an easy one, but you gotta deal with it. This situation is a sticky one. The little cunt got you by the balls, no two ways about it, Captain. However, your main focus should be the safety of this little Darlin here, and that lies in your ability to be the asshole that I raised you to be. You can't be a mate right now, you HAVE to be my Captain or it ain't gonna fuckin' matter. You have to teach her to be a soldier or she is goin' to get hurt or worse."

I slid my eyes over to my Sugar and saw her looking back at me, her arms crossed behind her back, eyes soft and warm. A little smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she nodded, "I can handle it, Petey. You do what you have to, it ain't gonna change anything. Plus, if it helps, think of it this way; if you teach me to defend myself, you will have less to worry about when the time comes to actually have something TO worry about." Then she giggled a little as her eyes darkened, "personally, I think scars are all kinds a sexy anyways."

There were two snorts from somewhere in the room as I cocked a brow at my minx of a mate, my own eyes darkening as I watched her eyes rake over my uncovered chest, her bottom lip between her teeth, a throaty little hum in her throat before a purr kicked up in her chest.

I had her pressed between me and the wall before she made it to my belly button; my lips dominating hers and demanding full compliance and submission. I didn't give a fuck about an audience, let 'em watch. I growled into her mouth when she parted her lips for me, grabbing her hips and lifting her off the ground. She wrapped her legs around me, pressing her hips harder against mine when I rolled into her, my growl growing in volume and pitch because that shit felt great.

Somewhere in my desire clouded mind I heard the doors close but I didn't pay it any fucking mind as I reached down and undid my belt and jeans before removing hers too. Looks like I'm gonna have to have Jasper run to the store to get her something to wear since in my haste, I rip the shit out of 'em.

Oh fucking well.

In one forceful thrust, I was sheathed to the hilt, hip to hip with my mate, her gasp of intrusion ringing in my ear since I wasn't quite as willing to give her the time to adjust as I would have been any other time. With her hands once again held above her head, I dipped mine and took her nipple between my lips, giving it a light tug before scraping my teeth across the mound itself as I set a semi-fast speed with my hips but using quite a bit of force.

Her words from right before we started rung in my ears. 'I can handle it, Petey' bounced around my brain driving my actions and movements. Pulling away from the wall, I twisted on my heel and dropped to my knees before laying her on her back, renewing my attention on her chest, her head being thrown back and her back arching into my mouth electing a purr from me at the action.

I switched between pulling out to the head and thrusting back into rolling my hips against her; her moans and grunts music to my ears. Then she switched up the game. She rolled against me and because I wasn't expecting it, she was able to roll us over so she was on top. She pulled at her hands and I let her go. She put her hands on my chest and pushed herself up to a sitting position, lifting up to her knees before dropping like a bomb back down, her crying out at the feeling and pulling a growl from me.

When she rolled her hips, I put a hand on her chest, pushing her back a little and changing both the angle and depth reached with each one of her movements while a reached the other around her and pressed against the small of her back to help her keep her balance. She went back and forth between rolling against me and lifting herself up a few times before her inner walls began to clench around me telling me she was getting close.

Pushing her to lean just a little farther back, I ran my nails down her torso, making her quiver before reaching where I was going, and rubbing my thumb over her clit a few times before  
pressing hard against it, finishing her off and just like last time, the sheer force I was squeezed with pulled me with her over the edge when she pulled up one more time.

With a snarl, I shot up to a sitting position and sunk my teeth gums deep into her neck, once again reaffirming the connection and adding just a little more of me into her; the pain from the bite taking her pleasure a little higher and over the second cliff, her scream getting caught behind my teeth and making her cry of my name just for me.

Milked for all I was worth, I fell back to the ground, taking her with my since my teeth were still in her skin and just stayed that way for a few minutes before letting her go and licking and nuzzling and kissing and showering my mark with affection.

My attention was pulled from that mid-lick when there was a knock on the doors, only my eyes moving that way before simply turning away again and finishing doctoring the bite I just gave my girl before rolling slightly to take her from view when the door creaked, catching the bag that was thrown at me with a 'thanks'.

I had just finished redressing Izzy when Jasper came back in with a smirk, "You really need to work on your timing, asshole."

I just shrugged as I was running my fingers through my hair in preparation of putting it up. "I'll fuck my mate whenever the hell I feel like it." Tightening my ponytail, I glanced at him, "If I gotta be a dick and shit in front of others for the time being, you can be positive that I'm gonna make up for that shit later."

Izzy was bent at the waist combing out her hair too, but she paused and looked over at Jasper with a cheesy looking grin, "Don't you dare fuck up his apology either Jazz. If he feels he needs to make up for something, let him."

Jasper snorted and walked over to her, taking the hair tie from her so she didn't break it and helped her put her hair up, "Wouldn't dream of it Darlin'. By this time tomorrow, he gonna have some shit to make up for. Today was cakewalk for you, Izzy. You got away with a lot of shit you shouldn't have and tomorrow, you are going to be a soldier just like every other newborn. You're gonna git your ass kicked and it's gonna hurt, badly. I hope you understand that." She nodded but he shook his head, "no you don't, not yet anyways."

She cocked a brow at him, a clear sign of challenge, "I'll handle it, Major; don't you worry 'bout it."

He just sighed as he pushed her over to me, "hope so, Darlin'. Just don't get mad when I say I told you so."

 ***X***

Daybreak the next morning found Jasper and I pairing off the babies getting ready to assess the work we actually needed to do to get them in any kind of shape to do anything at all. Izzy was paired off with a big mother fucker that was about a week older than her forcing Jasper to once again cap my emotions to near comatose level so I didn't get involved in any way I shouldn't have. All I could do was bark orders and instructions to her, but at the same time, when she got the upper hand, I had to call out corrections to her opponent.

Fifteen minutes into their spar, Jasper grabbed me by the back of the neck and shoved me to a different section of the pit, telling me in hushed tones to take a break from watching her because it was getting nearly impossible for him to keep me from overstepping my boundaries; him taking my place overseeing her training for the time being.

I didn't like it, one ear staying on her until I found out that Jasper wasn't afraid to backhand the dude for doing something stupid, warning him that he knew the girl was mated and if he didn't knock off the shit, Jasper wouldn't hesitate to give me back my protective instincts. The guy looked over at me and one glance at my black as pitch eyes told him just how close he was to dealing with me if he didn't stop actively trying to kill my girl. This was a sparring session to assess their worth, not an actual battle so any death that occurred during this was seen as treason and handled the same fucking way.

Any deal made with the Cunt Master General was void if something to that extreme happened to my girl.

At the midday sun we called a break for an hour to let the bites and other injuries heal before they changed opponents and we continued. The only time that training of some kind didn't take place was during the night hours. If the sun was up, we were in the pit running different scenarios and situations, fixing mistakes and fuck ups, weeding out those that weren't gonna cut it to be disposed of at the end of the week when everyone was fully assessed.

And during that week my mate got her ever loving ass kicked. Everyone she faced had a month of battle training on her, her being the youngest we were assessing, and the only one not working on her fighting skills since the day she woke up. Had I fucking known that that was going to be needed, I wouldn't have hesitated to teach her more than I did way sooner than I started.

However, for the fact that she was at a complete disadvantage, she kicked as much ass as she got kicked. My little Sugar wasn't afraid to fight dirty nor was she scared to face off against any one she was pegged against. Unlike the others, she didn't need to be told more than once to fix something, barely needing the guidance that the others needed in spades.

It was the night before the final assessment where the little kiddies faced either me or Jasper to decide who lived and who died and I didn't have the highest hopes for a lot of them. Izzy, however, because she was part of this entire 'hold the officer's balls in a vice' game Maria was playing, she wasn't on the block for death if she couldn't hold her own in a fight against a seasoned opponent. That didn't mean that she wasn't going to be facing off with Jasper in nine hours, it just meant that she wouldn't die if she lost in under a certain amount of time that would be decided in the morning.

The thing I was having the hardest time understanding and couldn't for the life of me figure out is why the cunt was allowing me the opportunity to train my mate at all and not hold her hostage to force my compliance in this matter. The bitch has to know that with my mate WITH me, I can leave anytime and she couldn't really stop me. If I wasn't afraid to skip out before I have to wonder what makes her think I won't do it again. The only difference between then and now is I'm older and more experienced, therefore, more dangerous, making me really wonder about her mentality because this was really stupid on her part.

I was drawn out of my thoughts by a giggle before I took a bony, pointy elbow to the ribs making me turn and glare at my girl as she continued to giggle. "And just what was that for, Mate?"

She just kept giggling as she rocked from her toes to her heels and back, bright eyed and bushy tailed, "You're overthinking things again, Captain. You should really try relaxing a bit before you give yourself a complex. Get drunk, get high, get something because you are about to make the Major over there rip his fucking hair out and, to be honest, I would probably point and laugh and then get in trouble and it would be all your fault."

I turned my attention to Jasper and came face to face with the glare of death before he pointed to the south and told me to get the fuck out and take my girl with me until I chilled the fuck out, giving me until day break to make it happen. So, I dressed my girl up for a night on the town and took her south, out of Maria's territory, to get nine kinds of wasted and just pretend that this shit wasn't happening.


	21. Chapter 21

We stopped off so I could feed my mate, feeding her like I used to so she was presentable to be seen in public and full enough to behave, before taking her to a small hole in the wall bar so if she lost her shit, it wasn't all that big of a deal. I could simply burn it to the ground and no one would be the wiser.

We were there for about an hour before the scent of another vampire caressed my nose. Before I had the chance to react to it, Izzy beat me to it, whirling around with a squeal of elation and pouncing on him.

I, being nearly three sheets to the wind, was a little slower than I normally would have been in turning and greeting him as well. Extending my hand, I smirked at the group that I didn't notice as I shook hands with the front runner. Once I let go, I took the shot that was on the bar top and chuckled, "Welcome to Hell, Aro; where Satan's a cunt and demons are babies."

He just chuckled a little as he once again had to disentangle himself from my mate, taking a moment to prod her memories and see what exactly was going on. Once he was done with that, he handed her back to me where I pulled her between my legs and held her back from doing that shit again. I was pretty drunk and the scent of another male on her might end badly for someone; be it him or me I wasn't all that sure of at the moment.

When a song that Izzy recognized from my iPod came on she started bouncing, trying to get me to dance with her. When I shook my head and she pouted, Aro chose then to speak, "Why do you not go dance with Heidi, Stella, and allow me and the Captain to have a word."

Izzy looked over at the aforementioned female, taking in her warm smile and excited eyes before turning begging ones on me, prompting me to smile at her and nod my head. Leading in, I kissed her nose and pushed her towards the guard, "go have fun Sugar." She giggled and let Heidi pull her to the dance floor, me watching after her a moment before looking back at Aro and picking up my beer, "Shit just got serious. Want a drink, I'm buyin'."

He took Izzy's stool and waved to his guard to leave us and go keep an eye on my girl, ordering, to my absolute shock, a beer when the bartender asked him if he wanted anything before turning to me, "I saw that neither you nor the Major have sired any newborns yet."

I took a healthy chug from my beer and shook my head, "that won't happen until after we weed out the worthless little bastards tomorrow. However many we kill we will be expected to replace though. No way around that shit that I know of."

He just nodded, thanking the human for his drink before drinking half of it in one go. Never took him for boozer but Jesus, the guy could drink. As he swallowed he hummed in his throat, "This is certainly a fucked up little situation you found yourself in, is it not, Captain?"

I growled a little, "hadn't figured that out yet so thank you so fucking much for pointing that shit out. I am fucked either way it goes. Either I don't play my part with the Cunt Master General and Izzy suffers or I do and Izzy suffers." Turning to look at him, I pointed a finger at him, "The biggest fucker though, is I still don't know the reason the fucking veggie vamps pulled this shit in the first fucking place. What the hell did they have to gain out of involving Maria in this little stunt? I know that Jasper told them about the bitch but they still went right to her for whatever fucking reason. They have to know that she's gonna sell 'em out first chance she gets to save her own ass. That little whore would sell out her own dead mother if she thought for a second it would do something." I shook my head and took another drink. "I just don't get it."

I pulled a cigarette out and lit it, playing with my zippo a little before clicking it closed and taking a lung filling hit and slowly blowing it out of my nose. "Then, not only do they involve the one bitch they should have stayed the fuck away from, they put ME into a fucking corner with no exit. I honestly think they just want to die because once I get my fucking hands on 'em, they will wish they were never fucking reborn. I don't give a fuck one way or the other if I'm back in the army or serving a life contract on the Royal guard, shit ain't gonna bother me none. It's what they did, and continue to do, to my mate."

I turned and nodded her direction, drawing his attention to her as well, the light hitting her perfectly to show off quite a few of the bite scars she acquired over the last week, "I was forced to hurt my girl, to scar her for the rest of her life because they decided to make a deal with the devil, and I don't even know what the fucking deal was."

"She is still well, is she not?" I turned back to look at him, both eyebrows in my bangs in disbelief of the question. Before I could comment on that, he spoke again, "So she bears the scars of this life. It was an inevitability when you agreed to the terms you didn't have a choice in, and there is not a mated male on the planet that would not have done the same. Had I been put in the position you were, I would too have agreed to whatever I had to, to keep my mate safe; something that cannot be held against you. Everything that you do between now and whenever the overall picture comes to light is nothing less than what you must to protect your mate, Peter. I cannot punish you for doing what is necessary to ensure your mate's survival, nor will I."

I just blinked at him, shocked as shit and to fuck and back. I wasn't even sure what I was more shocked about, the speech or him actually calling me by my name. I blinked again as half of my top lip curled a little, "So you're sayin', that you are not going to give a fuck about my part in creating an army that is being trained to stand against you?

He smirked at me before taking another drink of his beer before answering, "I am saying that I will not give a fuck about your part in creating an army being trained to stand against me. I actually look forward to it. It has been so dreadfully boring back home as of late. There are no new guard members that matter enough to oversee training for, my mate has been on an extended vacation for just about a month with the other sisters and for the first time in nearly a century, the vampiric race is behaving properly. I would take just about any form of entertainment at the moment."

There was a giggle behind me pulling my attention to my shitfaced mate as she leaned forward and pecked my nose, "told ya you were over thinking shit, Captain. Maybe someday you'll learn to listen to me. God damn but you can get a stick up your ass. For a guy that is supposed to just knows shit, you can be really fucking stupid sometimes." Then she leaned around me and grabbed my beer, chugging the rest of it before smacking a loud kiss to my cheek, whirling around and _skipping_ back to the dance floor where she was scooped up by Demetri, laughing her ass off at being twirled in a circle.

I just chuckled and shook my head before ordering another beer for both myself and Aro.

Over the next couple of hours, I learned that the 'king' of our race was actually a cool ass mother fucker. He had nearly as nasty of a sense of humor as I did and could drop a perfectly timed one liner that had the group of us in near hysterics making every single vampire present extremely grateful we could no longer piss ourselves. I knew that this was not normal practice for Aro, hence the reason that he only had three guards with him, that he himself was the sire of, so that this shit didn't get back to anyone it shouldn't.

I turned my attention to my mate when she kicked me under the table, a light glare on my face, "god damn it woman knock it off. That shit hurts."

She just giggled again, like she had been doing at my expense all fucking night before cocking her head to the side, "I was just curious if you had any pointers for me for when I fight Jasper in the morning since you said the nuts were always off limits."

At that I snorted, "Not against the Major, Sugar. Tomorrow is no holds barred. He gonna be taken plenty of nut shots tomorrow, one more ain't gonna hurt him none."

Demetri blinked a little, "You're fighting in the elimination fights, Miss Izzy?"

She snorted a little and nodded, "Yes I am Mr. Demetri, because the Mistress is a carpet munching old hag that likes to see the Captain here suffer. She thought that he would go too easy on me so decided that I have to face off with Jasper instead."

I pointed a finger in my mate's face, "she ain't your fucking Mistress, Sugar. Don't you _ever_ let me hear you call her that again, ya hear?"

Again with the giggles, only this time she added a smartass two finger salute, "Sir, yes sir."

The lone waitress brought the next round to the table so I had to cut the growl short, but the glare was still in place when I pulled my wallet out to pay the tab since it was closing time.

While I was able to cut my growl down to under human hearing levels, Izzy almost couldn't when the poor waitress leaned across her to gather the empties. She was across from me next to Heidi so when she heard her, she tossed an arm over her shoulder and covered her nose and mouth to keep her from smelling the blood literally right under her nose before pulling her to her feet, a small smile on her face when she looked at the confused human, "She had a little too much to drink tonight." Then she looked at me, "I'll take her outside for some fresh air while you finish your drink."

Best thing about Heidi is her scent was where her power was, calming both humans and vampires, both male and female, and makes them do her bidding. It was why she was the one responsible for gathering the humans for the guards and brothers. It wasn't going to do anything for my mate's thirst but it would get her to go with Heidi outside for some fresh air until I took her hunting.

Once my mate was outside, the four of us guys chugged the beers and took the shots that were bought, Aro dropping some cash on the table to tip the woman that very nearly died before we followed after the girls, finding them around the corner with Heidi's hand still over my mate's nose as she spoke quietly to her, trying to distract her from the scent that was in the area.

Izzy turned her black eyes to me and I just cocked a brow at her, "don't be lookin' at me like that. If you were getting hungry you should have said something Sugar. Every one of us has been in your shoes and ain't a one of us gonna hold having to leave a bar early against you. That burn ain't no one's fault but yours, Youngin."

She just whimpered what had to be the most pitiful sound I have ever heard making me feel bad for the attitude. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to look at Aro and a not happy with me look on his face. "She is not even a full six weeks old, Captain. Cut the young lady a little slack." Wonderful, the fucking ruler of the vampire race has appeared to have developed a soft spot for my mate.

Be that shit as it may however, I cocked a brow at him, "True, but how is she ever gonna learn anythin' if she isn't taught a lesson for doin' somethin' wrong? I ain't got no plans on making my mate suffer and starve, but I also ain't got no plans on her never learning to have to deal the burn of thirst either. I take plenty good care of my girl and taken care of someone entails teachin' them the harder lessons of life. Once the assessment shit is over and the real training begins, meals are fewer and farther between. This is fact and somethin' that, as shitty as it is, she will have to get used to."

He blinked at me, the shock of the last statement clear in his eyes. "Why would you subject your mate to such horrors as that?"

I snarled at him as I knocked his hand away, "You think I fuckin' want to? Hell no I don't. I would rather be just about any fucking where on the planet than where we are, but as we discussed before, I don't really have a fuckin' choice. I got strung up by the balls in this one and the only way out of it is to play the part of the fucking southern Captain that I gave up a century ago. There are no other options that don't end with a worse closing than her dealing with a sore throat.

"I would much rather that than the alternative and I know that Marcus would agree. You want my mate to have the kind of bullshit life he has? Because THAT is what will happen if I don't play my fucking part. The bitch ain't threatening me with her in the sense that she'll kill my mate like you been thinkin'. She is threatening to kill me so my mate suffers until the day she dies, somethin' that I also have no plans on happenin'. Six weeks ago I could have burned and not given a damn, now that shit actually affects someone that I give a fuck about so don't talk to me like I'm in the fuckin' wrong when all I am tryin' to do is take care of my mate to the best of my fuckin' ability in the worst of fucked up circumstances."

To my utter shock, even in the depths of my boiling rage, Aro took a half step back and held his hands up, palms facing me to show that he was backing down from the fight that I was just about ready to have, his ass being a fucking king or not. "My apologies, Captain. It was not my intention to overstep my bounds on you caring for your mate. It was a misunderstanding on my part of the seriousness of the situation." Then he glanced at Heidi and my mate a moment before looking back at me but talking to his guards, "Demetri, Heidi, take Mrs. Whitlock to feed. The Captain and I are going to have a little chat. See to it that she eats until she cannot drink another drop. You will know where to find us once she has had her fill."

I snarled at him and Felix, the huge ass bastard, got behind me and put his forearm in front of me and locked his arm around my head once I accidentally sank my teeth into his arm. Aro waved his guards away as Felix literally dragged my ass the opposite direction.

Once we got out of the city, Felix let me go and I turned and watched as Aro shrugged out of his jacket, tossing it off to the side and rolling up his sleeves, the bite from my mate nearly glowing in the moonlight. As he was doing that, he waved off Felix and smirked at me, "Seems you have been bottling up quite a bit of hostility over the past few days, Captain. No matter how good of a reason you have for the anger, it does you no good keeping it in. I cannot imagine being in your position, having to watch as your mate gets harmed and not being able to lift a finger to stop it. It is truly torture, I am sure, to have no choices. But, you will do the young lady no favors if you continue going as you are. You will explode eventually and nothing good could possibly come from that. So, let's go, Captain; show me what you got."

I just blinked at him, jaw on the ground and big 'ol wide eyes for a moment before a cocked a brow at him, speaking slowly, "you're joking… right?"

He shook his head as he caught a pair of gloves that Felix tossed to him so when he touched skin, he didn't see anything. "I am not. Back at the bar, when we shook hands, I noticed that your… gift has not been working properly and I can only assume that is because you are so focused on the young lady and every last nerve you have is on edge. I do believe that if you can get some of this pent up aggression out and calm under your own power and not the Major's, whatever blockade that stands between you and your 'voices' will lift and you can see the light at the end of the very long tunnel you found yourself in. Remember Captain; nothing ventured, nothing gained. At the very least, it is worth a shot. If this doesn't work, we will find something that does. However, for the time being, you needn't worry about your mate. She is perfectly safe with my guards. It is time, Peter, that you worried about yourself."

And with that last piece of parting advice, he flashed a toothy grin before darting right at me, giving me only enough reaction time to block the attack before he jumped back and came at me again.

My eyes narrowed and I growled low, blocking the next attack before lunging into the fight and forcing him on defense. Fists and feet were flying, some hitting and some not, but all of them pushing him further back into the trees. Aro and I tangoed one on one for about ten minutes before I got him off his feet, prompting Felix to join the spar, my weight shifting to the right in perfect timing to avoid the sneak attack and with a well-placed kick to his back, he became very well acquainted with a tree.

It was when I was facing off with both of them that my mate and the other guards rejoined us, Izzy freaking the fuck out because she had no idea what was going on. Heidi tried to talk to her to get her to understand that this wasn't what it looked like and that everything was just fine, but my Sugar wasn't having it. It took both Heidi and Demetri to hold her back so I could finish this little exercise that was, actually, doing me a world of fucking good.

The first to be taken out was Felix. I had jumped over his head and landed on his back, hands on either side of his head, dipping mine down pressing teeth to his throat whispering, "You're done bitch" before flipping off backwards and shoving him with my feet to the ground. I twisted in the air and landed in a crouch across the clearing from Aro, eyes narrowed and teeth bared. I chuckled deep in my throat when I heard Felix growl something to the effect of 'little fucker', but never took my eyes off Aro as he too crouched down and prepared for the next round.

Aro and I stared at each other for a moment before we both shot forward. He went low and I leapt up and flipped over, diving at him the moment that my feet touched ground, tackling him to his back when he twisted around to face me. We tumbled across the ground a few times before we separated, my arm burning a little from the graze of his teeth but nothing to distract me from rolling to my feet and once again getting the upper hand on the ruler of our world and getting the mock decapitation.

By the time the mock battle was over, I was breathing hard, even though it was completely unnecessary to do so, and ran completely ragged, but I felt better than I have in a long fucking time. As my unneeded breaths slowed and my body relaxed, every ounce of pent up anger and aggression melted away leaving behind nothing but calm. I no longer felt like I was standing on a knife's edge, no longer felt like I was in an impossible situation with no way out. I looked over at my girl and saw her looking back at me with a bright smile and glowing red eyes. Those guards really did stuff her ass silly, didn't they?

Demetri let her go as Felix helped Aro to his feet and she darted to me, leaping into my arms and wrapping hers around my neck, her legs kicked up behind her as she did her damnedest to strangle me, giggling in my ear making me chuckle a little.

After a moment she pulled back, a gleam in her eyes that went right to my dick, "You HAVE to teach me some of those moves, Peter."

I smiled down at her and nodded, "Your wish is my command, Sugar."

With the calmness obtained I was seeing things with crystal clear clarity. It was like kicking Aro's ass cleansed me of my demons and suddenly I knew it all, knew everything I had to do to get out of this fucked up situation. I was given so much information on the coming days that I was left blinking and shaking my head a little.

When I looked back at Izzy, she was looking at me with a face full of concern, "Are you alright?"

I grinned at her, "perfect, Sugar; ain't ever been better."

I glanced up over her head when I heard a throat clear, cocking a brow at Aro as he dusted himself off, a small smirk on his face, "I must say, Captain, that I am quite impressed. Had this been an actual battle, it would have been the first one I lost in over 3000 years." Then he chuckled a little, "and poor Felix will probably never be the same again after this." Raising a brow at me, "but I trust that you will keep this indignity to yourself."

I snorted, "Fuck no; I kicked the shit of you and the strongest fighter on your guard, at the same fucking time. I ain't gonna lie here man, I'm tellin' everyone." Then I sighed as I pulled my mate closer to me, setting my chin on the top of her head when she buried her face in my chest, "Thanks."

He just shrugged a little, "it is my job to ensure that my subjects are properly cared for, even if that means that I have to eat dirt to do that job. Might I give you a small piece of advice, young man?" I nodded and a small smile lifted the corner of his mouth, "While our mates will always be our top priority, you cannot properly care for them if you do not also take care of yourself in the process. You need to keep in mind that her safety and survival depends on you and yours. Your gift of intuition, as annoying as it is at times, is part of you and if it is not working properly, nor will you. She needs you in top form, to be at your very best right now, and if you are so focused on her and let yourself get lost in anger and negativity, she will be the one that suffers the consequences. She is completely innocent in this and does not deserve to know the pain she will if you let the situation get out of your control."

I nodded at that, taking in the advice and once again deciding that 'Master' Aro wasn't all that bad once you got past the fact that he was the one person on the planet that holds every single vampiric life in his hands. Once you got passed that, he was just a regular guy; an asshole, but a normal guy.

He shrugged on his jacket and was turning away when he paused and glanced over his shoulder, "One more thing, Captain. The terms to which you agreed were only to regain lost territory. Any contract entered under false pretense is not binding in my court of law." Then he smirked at me, letting his eyes shift to my mate a moment before looking back at me, "You hold more cards than you think. I will be in touch, Captain."


	22. Chapter 22

The next morning after Izzy and I returned from our night out, and before the elimination assessment began, I pulled Jasper and Garrett off to the side and told them about what happened in the city leaving nothing out, not even the details of the impromptu fight with Aro and Felix. They were quiet for the most part, just listening to what I told them as we watched over Izzy as she changed and got ready for her fight against Jasper. Once I was finished, Garrett looked over at me, "I am sorry, old friend, but I just cannot picture the ruling vampire in such a way."

I shrugged, "I wouldn't have believed that either had I not seen it myself, so I don't blame you. It was the strangest shit, too. I can honestly say that the last thing I ever thought I would ever do was get drunk in a bar in Mexico with Aro Volturi. I sooner saw myself back here, than that shit happening."

It was then Miss Giggles made her appearance, latching onto my arm, and wrapping her hot little body around it, "I like him, and I bet, under different circumstances and in a different time, ya'll would too. I really don't doubt that he's not a guy to piss off, but he seems like he's a pretty down to earth guy for the power he has."

I smirked down at her when she turned her head up to look at me, "You just like him cuz he has a little soft spot for you."

She giggled again and shrugged a light shoulder, "it certainly helps, but that's the not the reason. I like him because he seems like a kickass little fucker that knows how to have a good time. Seriously, the bastard has a dirtier mind than you have, Peter. Plus, he's hot as fuck, what's not to like?"

I growled a little at that, liking the fucker a little less than I did a minute ago, as I pressed my forehead to hers, "You're lobbyin' for his death talkin' like that, Sugar."

She scrunched up her nose a little in a light 'grr face', as she calls it, "I said he was hot, not that he's my type. Not nearly enough scars for my tastes, or big enough muscles. He is but a scrawny little fucker, ain't he?"

I snorted quietly and shook my head, nuzzling noses with her in the process, "Nice save, Sugar." She just giggled and pecked a kiss to my lips before I pulled back and turned back to the amused faces of Jasper and Garrett. "So, here's what we're gonna do."

After I laid it all out for them, Jasper cocked a brow at me, "And that convoluted shit is going to work?"

I just smirked at him, "Man up, Major. I remember a time that you lived for my convoluted shit, and loved every second of the mayhem it brought into the lives of thousands."

A very slow smile came to his lips, and a new depth entered his eyes as the memories of past exploits we pulled out of pure boredom surfaced in his mind, a dark chuckle sounded in his throat and he nodded a little, "good times, good times. Alright Captain; I'll follow your lead on this." Then he looked over at my mate and gave her a nasty little smirk, "Hope you're ready to find out just who you're mated to, Youngin, 'cause the laid back son of a bitch you got used to, ain't it."

She just giggled a little more at that, as her grip on my arm tightened and she looked up at me with stars in her eyes, "I cannot wait to see this shit play out." Then she turned a vixen worthy look back on the Major, "that is, after I kick your ass."

He clasped his hands behind his back and bent at the waist until they were eye to eye, "Then let's go, Darlin'. You're up first."

What Jasper didn't know was the last few hours before dawn, I spent some time teaching my Sugar a few things that he didn't know about.

*X*

An hour later the troops were rounded up, and Maria was even present for the face off against my Sugar and the Major. I was standing behind her, helping her put her hair up and out of her way as Jasper was BSing with Garrett, not paying any attention to us. Taking advantage of that, I dipped my head and whispered in her ear, "'member what I taught ya?" I chuckled a little when she nodded. Pressing my lips to my mark on her neck, I whispered, "Have fun, Sugar."

Tightening her tail, I pushed her forward a little into the middle of the pit, and moved off to the side where Garrett joined me and relaxed against the fence as my mate and my brother took up across from each other. It was a high noon, Mexican fucking standoff. Seriously, there was even a gust of wind that blew through the pit making the dust kick up, and their hair flutter a little.

Putting one foot on the bottom section of the fence, I looked at the two combatants, "Ya'll ready?" They both glanced at me before looking back at each other and giving a jerked nod. "Well, git to it." Then I whistled and the fight was on.

Garrett watched them a second before he looked at me and my position, and cocked a brow, "You seem strangely calm right now, Peter."

I smirked and nodded towards the pit, "Just watch. He ain't about to know what hit him."

He blinked at me, but turned back to watch the show just in time for my mate to fake to the right, catching Jasper off guard with the action and twisting away from the very close mock decapitation he almost got. When he pulled off the recovery, Izzy flipped back into a handspring, catching him under the chin knocking him on his back as she lightly landed on her feet.

He rolled to a crouch with a snarl, to which she smirked at, before he lunged at her at the same time she dove at him. I bit my lip a little as I watched her try and get it right and very nearly cheered for her when she executed it perfectly. She shifted her weight and dropped to the ground, sliding into a base slide under him, recovering before he could, and diving again at his back, taking him to the ground face first and pressing her teeth to his neck, ending the fight, before leaping off his back like a spring board, flipping at the summit of her jump and landing in the exact place she started at with her arms crossed, a toothy grin on her face.

Jasper growled as he pushed himself to his feet before he rounded on me with blazing eyes and bared teeth, "You son of a bitch."

I just gave him a shit eating grin, "not the best to start your day there, Major. Might make the kids think you're a pushover."

He got this overly nasty look on his face as he chuckled nice and dark, "Oh, I am going to beat your ass for that."

I just cocked a brow at him as I crooked a finger at Izzy, calling her from the field of battle to my side, where her ass belongs, "You just lost to my 98 pound mate Major, with a move I taught her. I ain't scared." Glancing down at my girl, I smirked at her as she looked up at me with bright eyes, "good job there Sugar. I'm proud of ya." She just giggled as I twirled her around before pulling her back against my chest and setting my chin on the top of her head as Garrett and Jasper switched places and a different officer chose a newborn to go against him.

Jasper took up residence next to me on the fence, crossing his arms and glaring at me, "really, Peter?"

I just shrugged, "you didn't honestly think that I was going to allow her to actually lose that fight, did you? I told you that I honed my shit on my own and you had no idea anymore what I am actually capable of on the battlefield. Seemed like a good time to show you that not everything I say is me talking out my ass. Now, congratulate the lady on a job well fucking done."

He looked down at her and, though it seemed to pain him to do so, he dipped his head, "Good job Darlin. You are the very first newborn to ever win a battle against me."

I winked at her before elbowing Jasper in the ribs, "Told ya you ain't shit without using your gift."

That made him growl at me, "I was using it."

I snickered, "now don't lie; that just makes you look worse."

We spent the next few hours clearing out, and destroying the newborns that weren't worth a shit, some that might have been had they actually listened, and letting the ones that could fight worth a damn go to be trained more extensively in a few days.

Once that was done, I called Izzy over to me, and out of the protection of Jasper, while I finished up my last spar, and pulled her back to my chest and set my hands on her hips and my chin on the top on her head, Jasper coming with her and crossing his arms, "Well, that's that then. When are we going to move on to the next part of the process?"

I hummed a little, "two days. Give the little fuckers a little time to chill the fuck out, and me some time to spend with my girl here before the shit storm really starts."

Jasper opened his mouth to say something, but snapped it shut with a click and rolling his eyes to the sky, a rough growled sigh rumbling his throat before turning the other way, making me lean forward and cock at brow at Maria as she sauntered over to us. I changed my grip on my mate from holding her hips to sliding my arms around her waist and pulling her just a little tighter to me. I knew nothing was about to happen on the Cunt Master General's end, but that didn't at all mean that my mate wasn't still in the mood to cut her down a peg or two.

Maria looked at my mate a moment, eyes contemplative but dismissive. After a moment, she smirked, "such promise you have. I wasn't expecting you to be as valuable as you seem to be." Izzy bared her teeth a little at her but was stopped from saying a word when Maria turned away from her and looking at me , "I will be leaving camp for two days to scout for the replacement soldiers. You are expected to do your job. If I hear a single word that tells me that you have in anyway gone against our agreement... you know the outcome."

It took more control than I thought I had to not roll my eyes at her. If she thought that I was in any way still worried about that shit, she was even more out of her fucking mind than I ever thought. Over half her army was just destroyed and it would be three days, minimum, before there would be more to deal with. By then, it wasn't gonna fucking matter anymore. I didn't know what it was, but something was heading our way, as she stood there staring me down in a pathetic excuse for a challenge. In reality, it was as insulting as her insinuation that I would ever break my word. I might not have liked the fucking situation, but as I had agreed to it, I had every intention of following through on my end.

Though I didn't actually roll my eyes, I did make sure she knew that I wanted to with the look I gave her. Finally, I just gave a jerky nod, "Got it, Cunt Master General. Don't worry your fucked up little head about anything. Everything will be as you left it when you get back."

She hissed at me, "You are treading a thin line, Captain. You really need to be more careful about your words."

I smirked at that, cocking a brow at her, "We both know it is not my words that you need to be concerned about right now, don't we? Take a look around and then decide what you need to be worried about."

She did too, seeing that there was no longer enough manpower left to defend her against any one of us, if we decided that it was time for her to die. When she turned narrowed eyes back on me, I winked at her, "Like I said, don't worry your fucked up little head about anything. We have a deal, and as long as you hold up your end, I'll hold up mine." At this, my face darkened and my voice deepened to match, "Break it though, and we will have a serious fucking problem."

Maria's eyes sparked a bit, but otherwise she said nothing, only nodding once before turning and leaving the pit, stopping only to have a word with one of her actual officers before leaving camp altogether.

Jasper, Garrett, Izzy and I watched her go before looking at each other. Jasper shook his head a little, a small smirk on his face, "You know that she's up to something, right?"

I nodded back at him, "Yeah. The question though, is what the fuck is it?"

He just shrugged, "You know her about as well as I do. Whatever it is she's hiding, more than likely will negate everything you agreed to."

Cocking a brow at him, I grinned wide enough for my teeth to show, "I'm counting on it, Major. Once she gets back, then the fun can really begin."


	23. Chapter 23

Izzy and I spent the first few hours after the CMG left down at the lake that made up the far southern border of the little bitch's territory. I sat on the bank of the water in a tree watching as Izzy swam and splashed around, getting cleaned up from the afternoon activities before we met back up with Jasper and Garrett and heading out for the night. I knew that the CMG was going to be all kinds of pissed off about it when it got back to her that we left, but oh fucking well. I wanted to get drunk again and that little bitch wasn't going to stop me. At the moment, there wasn't enough manpower in the encampment to stop us anyways, and you know what they say... when the cunts away, the kids will play.

I was so far into my own thoughts that I never saw the wall of water coming right at me. Needless to say, I looked a little like a drowned rat. Running a hand down my face before brushing my hair out of my face, I glared down at my overly amused mate as she bobbed in the water. Cocking a brow at her, "Seriously?"

She just giggled a little as she wiped off her own face, giving me a bright smile, "Just seeing if you were paying attention, Peteykins. Turns out, you weren't."

I snorted a little, "seriously, Peteykins?"

She shrugged a little as she continued to tread water, "You were the one that said I could use any variation of your name I wanted."

Smirking a little and shaking my head, "I said Pete or Petey. There was exactly zero talk of this Peteykins bullshit. So, unless you want me to start calling you all kinds of stupid ass nicknames, I highly fucking suggest you never do it again."

She poked out her bottom lip in an overly dramatic way at that but nodded, "Fine then. Go ahead and take away all my fun."

I rolled my eyes as I stood up on my branch, waking out over the water and crouching down a few feet away from her. Smirking a little, I reached down and flicked her lip, "If you ain't careful Sugar, a bird is gonna come by and shit on that lip." Chuckling a little as she batted my hand away, I draped both forearms over my thighs and smiled at her, "Besides, I don't rightly think that THAT particular variation is good for my image."

She snorted and slashed at me again, that I dodged this time, and smirked at me, "So you would prefer to be called another name for a penis then?"

I nodded once at her, "Damn straight. Ain't a fucking thing wrong with being called a dick, Sugar, when you happen to be one. I ain't ever made no apologies for the way I am and I ain't about to start that shit now. I'm a dickhead, an asshole, all that shit and I have earned every last name I have ever been called."

She bit into her bottom lip a little and looked up at me through her lashes, "you don't seem all that bad to me."

I winked at her with a cheesy grin, "You're also my mate, Sugar. To you, I'm the fucking shit. However, you don't actually know me. The laid back guy from Canada ain't it and this Captain Whitlock bullshit certainly ain't. I told you all this back in Italy. I'm an asshole, I like to play games and live to fuck with others. It is my life's mission to one day have Jasper completely bald and in a straight jacket. It is my purpose to cause chaos in the lives of everyone I meet and I'm good with that. I ain't a nice guy, Izzy. I have my moments of compassion and I have my friends, but I ain't a nice guy."

Izzy chewed on her bottom lip a little more, looking off to the side a long moment before looking back up at me, the question I saw coming miles away burning in her eyes. "Was I just a moment of compassion?"

I just cocked a brow at her, "Does it really matter?" She shook her head no so I jumped tracks to a different topic. She wasn't and she knew it so it was a moot point. Instead I focused on something else. "You were on the plane when I was giving Jasper an ass-reaming, so you know my stance on the vampire race. None of us are nice. We were not created, or raised for that matter, to be nice. Every last one of us is a monster and while some wear masks and sheep's clothing, underneath, we're nothing but earthbound demons. Some of us are just worse than others."

"And Peter is one of the worst."

Both Izzy and I turned to find both Jasper and Garrett walking to the water's edge. I smirked at the statement for the compliment it was.

Izzy looked at Jasper, since he was the one that made the comment, her eyes burning with a million questions and full of contemplation. Jasper simply looked back at her, a smirk on his lips and every answer in his red eyes.

"Trust me, you don't want to know." Leaving it at that knowing that I had something up my sleeve for the CMG's return, he looked up at me, "So, we going to the bar or not? Been awhile since I ate let alone got drunk, so if we're going, let's go."

*X*

I will never, even should I live forever, understand what the fuck just happened. One minute my mate, Jasper, Garrett and I were living up and having a great fucking time at this club that had been around for fucking ever and the next minute, drunk as fuck, Jasper, Garrett and I had to pretend to be human as we were manhandled by the fucking goon squad of bouncers before being slammed onto the hood of police cruisers and cuffed as they read us the very limited rights we had as foreigners.

I turned to look at my mate, seeing her staring completely dumbfounded at the happenings. Dammit. I was really hoping she knew what the fuck was going on. When she looked at me, she blinked and seemed to snap out of wherever the fuck she was in her mind and called out, "Wait! I need my husband's phone."

I cocked a brow at the title but said nothing since I was suddenly in the process of swallowing a growl when the overly friendly copper shoved his hands in my pockets looking for my 'personal effects'. I heard a snicker in response to the little bastard copping a feel. I swear I was gonna kill him. Turning to Jasper, I bared my teeth and whispered under my breath, "I promise you, I will rip your balls off and feed them to you, ya fucking prick."

Jasper just winked at me and grinned, not saying anything. The stupid drunk bastard. I knew the fucker was a light weight, but come the fuck on. This was all his fault. I wasn't sure exactly how it was, but I _know_ it was and that little stunt wasn't currently doing him any fucking favors. All it was doing was fueling the fire and pissing me off even more.

Chances are, if I had a full understanding of what the hell happened, I would find this funnier than hell. Since I do not in fact have that, I am nothing but ready to kick the shit out of the Major. When Officer Cop-a-feel _finally_ got a hold of my phone, after the half-assed apology for grabbing something else, he tossed it to my mate before yanking me up off the hood, at my allowance, because the last thing I needed right now was the little prick under Jasper's influence to get any other ideas about my strength, and shoved me, along with Jasper and Garrett, in to the back of the car.

And thank fuck for small favors... I got a window seat. Since I was sitting on my hands, I jerked my head back hard to signal Izzy to come to the car. Once she was closer, her bottom lip pulled between her teeth as her eyes darted around, "Peter, what am I supposed to do?"

I cocked a brow, "hold your fucking breath and run like hell, Sugar. That's all you can do. Head south, away from the encampment, and don't stop until you can't hear anything but the wilderness. By the time you get there, my phone is going to ring. You do every last fucking thing you're told, ya hear?"

She reached up and rubbed her throat, my eyes softening a little at action, "Everything is going to be fine, Sugar, I promise." She didn't look like she believed me at ALL prompting me to smirk at her, "Have I ever let you down before?" When she shook her head, I smiled, "follow your gut and you'll be fine." Officer Cop-a-feel walked up and as he was reaching for the handle to the driver's side door, I tilted my head to the side and smiled at Izzy, "Off you go, Sugar. I'll see you soon."

*X*

Two hours later, since Mexican law enforcement don't know their heads from asses, Jasper, Garrett and I were finally processed and put in a holding cell. Now, I have never once minded getting arrested. It tends to bring hours of entertainment in my otherwise mundane and sometimes overly boring life. However, this time, I am positive that I didn't do anything arrest worthy and I have a mate that is seven weeks old that cannot be without some form of supervision so she doesn't land her ass in hot water. The Royal Pain in the Ass might have a soft spot for her, but she is as liable for fucking up as the rest of us.

The moment that the barred cell door was closed and the guard was around the corner, I whipped around and blasted Jasper dead in the mouth. "You moronic mother fucker. What in the name of Christ did you do?"

He just laid on his back where he landed, laughing his ass off. Stupid light weight. It took him nearly a full minute to calm his laughter enough to speak, "Dude, don't you remember?"

I just glared at him, "If I remembered anything, I wouldn't be ready to use you as a battering ram to break out of here." Contrary to popular belief, we don't ALWAYS have perfect recall. I was pounding shots like I was paid to do it, I don't currently remember shit.

"I would highly recommend against that, Captain. You are in enough trouble as it is."


	24. Chapter 24

**ARO POV (because I love some Aro and I am just not quite ready to show you into the fragmented mind of our little Sugar.)**

Having never been to the United States before, it was decided that we would stay in the area after parting ways with Captain Whitlock and his lovely young mate. While it is not my normal practice to interfere overly much in the lives of those that are not brought before me for judgement, I couldn't, for whatever reason, seem to step back and be a simple outsider in the ordeal pertaining to the young couple.

The reason for that was simple enough I suppose. I owed the young one my life; something that is not easily forgotten or overlooked. On top of that, she was an absolute delight. Her mannerisms were that of a child, innocent and endearing, while she herself radiated a simplistic sophistication. She was also not one to allow boundaries and personal space to stop her from achieving her goals. She knows little at the moment, being so young and new with nothing to recall and fall back on, but she has yet to allow her lack of knowledge and understanding stop her. She is a force, a rock hard wall that cannot be destroyed no matter hard she is hit.

For many years she was knocked down by life, spat on by the devil and denied her salvation of death and peace. There is not a single doubt in my mind that the pureness of the young lady would have given her passage into the realm of light and love had she finally decided enough was enough and simply called it quits. However, there was something always lingering in the back of her mind at every turn, every encounter with the dead redhead that told her not to give in to temptation and to continue on until there was literally no getting back up.

That was her fire, her defiance against allowing a simple minded bitch to destroy her. As a human she was as nearly as invincible as a vampire. As a vampire, with the proper upbringing and care, she would be the definition of indestructible. In impossible situations, she pushes through, doing what she must to see the sun crest the horizon with the birth of the morn. It was inspiration, it was glorious; it was absolutely magnificent. SHE was magnificent. The young Captain was a very lucky man to have claimed such a gem. She would be a very precious commodity to any that gained her attention and favor. The fact that between the two of them they have the ultimate gift of foresight was also nothing to turn one's nose up at.

The Captain's intuition and Izzy's preservation combined, there is literally nothing that they, together, cannot face and walk away from nearly unscathed. This little trial they are traversing together shall leave its mark on the both of them, of that there is very little doubt. However, they will learn and grow from it and be the better for it.

Peter, for as strong as he is physically, mentally, emotionally and psychologically, he is in no way perfect, and from this life lesson he will learn that he doesn't have to do everything on his own, that there is no shame at all in asking for help or listening to a female when her idea is just a little bit better.

As for Young Izzy, though she will blindly follow Peter to the ends of the world without question, from this I wishfully hope she learns to voice her opinions on Peter's asinine ideas. I have zero doubt that she will never deny him his pleasures, as he wouldn't her, but the young man certainly needs leashed at least every few decades and she would be the only one he would allow to collar him. I have seen it happen more in the seven weeks of her new life than it had in his entire 135 years prior to finding her.

Yes, that little bastard certainly needed something to focus on if for no other reason than that I have no desire to destroy him. Captain Whitlock is, arguably, the most lethal vampire alive and talents such as his are not to be wasted. Pain in the ass or no, he is a very special vampire and as such is allowed freedoms and chances not awarded to others. Plus, to a small degree, the fucker freaks me out. With his fucked up ability to answer me before I ever actually asked the question, to this day even with the look into his mind, boggles me. It is as fascinating as it is irritating.

This situation he found himself in is not one I hold an ounce of envy for. To traverse the forests of rocks and hard places is never a good time, but to put a vampire of his caliber in to it, I truly question the lingering intelligence of someone that I at one time considered a close personal friend. If I hadn't already written him off as an eventual loss due to his diet, I certainly would now. Once Peter Whitlock gets his hands on any member of the Cullen Coven, there will be nothing but gravel left. I have every confidence that it will be the young belle that takes out the Southern General, but The Captain, he has already called dibs on the lot of them and I am not one to stand between a male searching for justice on behalf of his mate. From what I saw, he is fully prepared to murder his only true friend for her should he find out that the Major had even an inkling of the goings on. I will gladly add to this that I wouldn't be able to find a single fault to that either as I wouldn't give a second thought to ending anyone that so much as thought of touching my own mate.

As time passed between leaving Peter and Izzy to return to the vampire equivalent of Hell, I have been racking my brain for any and all reason to storm the bitch's camp and personally remove the lot of them. There would be no breach of contract on the Captain's part since there is no arguing should I actually set my foot down and tell them they are coming with me for breaking the army law.

As I was beginning to form that plan, I was pulled from my thoughts by Demetri clearing his throat. With nothing but a cocked brow, I got him to explain his interpretation.

He bowed his head and spoke to the floor, "Forgive the intrusion Master, but there is a problem."

Brow raising a little higher, "Go on."

He then looked up at me, his eyes slightly worried as he chewed on the inside of his cheek. After a moment, he blinked a little, "The young one, Miss. Izzy, has separated from the Captain. She is currently heading further south while he is more or less staying in the same place. Do you think there is a problem, Master?"

I blinked at the knowledge once before pulling out my phone, dialing his cell number and grabbing my shoes. I had no idea what would prompt him to allow his mate to leave his side at the moment, but I had every intention of finding out. Should harm befall her during this time, his head would roll.

The other line rang three times before it was picked up, the quiet, bell like voice of the one I was actually looking for sounding in my ear. " _Hello?"_

I looked at Demetri a moment before turning back to the call, "Izzy, My Dear, is everything alright?"

" _No! Peter, Jasper and Garrett got fucking arrested and Peter told me to run south and I don't know where the fuck I am!"_

I dropped my hand down into my palm at her words. Again? Arrested again? I think it is just about time that someone finally told those boys that getting arrested is not, in fact, a good idea. But first, I needed to calm the young one on the phone before this bad situation got any worse. Keeping the exasperation towards the three most important people in her life out of my voice, "Calm down, Stella. Just stay right where you are and Demetri and I will find you. If you move around too much, it will take us longer. Do you understand?"

" _Yeah."_

"Very good. I shall see you shortly. If you have any difficulty whatsoever, do not hesitate to call this number back."

I heard a hard sigh on the other end of the phone, " _Aro, I'm hungry and there are a lot humans here. I don't think I can..."_

Demetri and I were already out the door and heading her direction. Cutting her off, "if you are hungry, Stella, eat and we will take care of any issues once we arrive. You are not yet two months old. I do not expect miracles when it comes to your control, alone, around humans. All infants are entitled to a massacre or two over their first year. Just be sure you actually kill any you bite, understand me, Young Lady?"

" _Yeah."_

"Wonderful. Call me if you are in need too."

" _I will."_

"Perfect. See you momentarily." I heard her say a farewell and the call got disconnected. Looking over at my tracker, "How far is she?"

He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye a moment before turning back to his path, leaping over a fallen log. "About ten minutes from here."

I sighed lightly at that. A single newborn can cause untold amounts of chaos in mere moments. I shudder to think of how much this particular one, hungry and probably drunk if her protectors were arrested, was going to cause before we arrived. This was going to be a fuck of a mess to clean up and one that I am holding the Captain, the Major and whoever the fuck this Garrett was, responsible for.

*X*

Nine minutes and forty-five seconds from the end of the phone call Demetri and I broke the tree line into a sizable clearing housing not only a very messy and extremely sated newborn vampire, but also ten headless human bodies. I skidded to a hult and just stared at the bones and flesh that littered the clearing like gory confetti. It was everywhere; an arm hanging from a tree, a head still spinning like a top in a pool of crimson, it was nearly a masterpiece; the focal point being the infant vampire sitting in the center of death licking her fingers like a kitten.

Demetri took a step towards her prompting her head to snap around with a snarl from her toes, bloody teeth bared and eyes black and full of challenge. I reached over and grabbed his arm and yanked him back to his previous position and out of the kill zone. For the moment, anything that was within the blood pool had become her territory, her possession, and she would fight to the death for it. There wasn't a beating heart or sounds of breath, but in her mind it didn't matter. So long as she was still feeding, we were a threat to her meal.

It took her nearly a half hour after our arrival to finally feel full enough to allow us entry into her picnic. I had spent that time in a tree to keep an eye on her while Demetri ran a tight perimeter to keep any scavengers from intruding. He was old enough for others not to want to fuck with when it came to blood, and I didn't want certain others to know I was in the area just yet. I wanted to be gone and, preferably, on a plane home by then. I wasn't going to be forcing any of three moronic little fuckwads or the young lady to come as well, but I was going to make it look like it.

There was absolutely zero chance that I was going to allow Izzy to be forced to go back to that situation after seeing just how hungry she is being forced to be to survive. I have no doubts that Peter fed her before going out, but she was used to eating much more often that she has been. Changes are, she was afraid to eat anything for fear of repercussions should it be found out, but that shit wasn't happening on my watch. Starving an infant vampire is no more right than starving an infant human. While the vampire baby cannot die of starvation like a human baby will, it can, if done long enough, drive them crazy with bloodlust, something that needs to be avoided with this particular newborn. She is suffering enough as it is, and it would snow in hell before I let anyone make it worse.

Once the young one moved from the middle of the clearing and off to one side, I cocked a brow as she bent down and picked up a random head, tossing it in the air like a ball. Now that was a new one for me. I have seen vampires do some extremely odd things with human bodies, but never like this.

Dropping to the ground and slowly walking up behind her as Demetri began to collect the dismembered bodies and preparing to torch them, I called out to her, "What are you doing?"

She glanced at me over her shoulder, rapidly drying blood sliding down her face and neck, and smiled a little at me before tossing the head in the air again, "This is a little exercise that Peter came up with to help me learn to control my strength a little more. The object is to toss this in the air as many times as I can, a little higher each time, until I crush it when I catch it. The ultimate goal is throwing it as high as I can and not crush the head." At that, pure excitement and personal pride lit her eyes, "I am now up to six tosses before it breaks."

What in the fuck is with southern army brats and heads? First it was putting a random vampire head on a random body and now they use them as training tools? What the fuck is next, bowling balls? Thinking about who the hell I was thinking about, I honestly wouldn't doubt it.

Turning my attention back to the young lady, I could see it in her eyes she was looking for approval to this so I nodded to her, "Wonderful job, Stella."

At that she just kinda giggled, "You think this shit is fucked up too, don't cha?"

I chuckled at that and nodded again, "I would be lying if I said otherwise, Stella. However, I suppose given the situation and tools at your disposal, The Captain is doing as well as he can."

She shrugged a little at that, "I guess. I mean, we certainly don't have a shortage of heads lying around camp. The little bastards in the army are forever ripping each other apart." Then she turned to me and cocked her head to the side, "As a matter of fact, I was drug into a game of 'monkey in the middle' earlier."

I held my hand out for the head in her hands and when she handed it to me, I let my fingers graze her skin, allowing myself to enter her memories and see just what it was that the terrible two did this time.

This thing about my gift is, I see everything they do, as if I was them at the time of the memory. So, knowing what little I did about the night, I wasn't surprised to find myself in a bar, but a little shocked at the KIND of bar.

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

 _Looking up, Peter was looking back, soft eyes full of affections and care, "Alright Sugar. Remember last time we went out. You get hungry, you say something."_

" _I promise."_

 _Peter winked back before pressing a kiss to her temple, "Good girl."_

" _Get a room."_

 _Turning to look to the other side of a Peter, I saw him give someone I didn't recognize the finger, "Fuck off, Garrett, or I'll make sure your ass never fucking gets laid again."_

So nice to put a name to a face.

 _The next while was a blur of shots and drinks, the gentlemen getting dance after dance from the human females, Peter talking Izzy into a few as well. It was, at my best guess, four hours later that the memories began to slow and the reason for the arrest became apparent._

 _I could see two empty whisky bottles on the table and a third less than half full, empty beer glasses literally covering the table top and a fresh pitcher was just arriving. A shot glass collection numbering in the dozens were stacked and scattered. Dear Jesus, had the four of them been human, every one of them would be dead. Now how in the fuck did the humans not notice this as well?_

 _Before I got to far down that road, I was pulled to look away from counting glasses when I felt a jerk, prompting Izzy to look up at Peter, who had his arm around her shoulders. He was looking over at Jasper, who had surprisingly caught the bottle cap that was thrown at him, and smirked, "Let's go."_

 _I glanced up at Peter only to then again look back at Jasper when he questioned, "where?"_

 _Looking back up at Peter, I watched as he nodded towards the stage, "Up there. I guarantee that we make back every dollar we just spent."_

 _I watched as if I were Izzy, looking back and forth between the two, looking for one of them to be the voice of reason only to have that dashed to shit when Garrett stood up from his chair, "I'm game."_

' _What a bunch of idiots.' I felt Izzy shake her head and pinch the bridge of her nose a moment before looking at them and speaking out, "I really don't think this is a good idea, guys."_

 _I felt something under my chin only to find out that it was the side of Peter's finger as he tilted her face up to look at him. He was smiling and clearly, completely smashed. There was a spark in his eyes that_ _ **I**_ _knew perfectly well that she was still learning. There was a smirk on his face as he dipped his head and butted noses with her. Once he pulled back, "Come on, Iz; where is your sense of adventure?"_

 _WIthout missing a beat, "Apparently kickin' it high and dry with your common fucking sense. Seriously, this isn't a good idea, Peter."_

 _I saw him make a face before dipping his face once again and getting nose to nose with her, "Then stay here and watch." And he was gone, leaving her and vanishing right along with Jasper and that Garrett fellow into the crowd._

 _I saw the palm coming at my face and very nearly flinched at it in memory of seeing this young lady hit others. There was a groan before I saw a peek through her fingers and felt her shock like it was my own at the sight that befell me. There, center stage was a shirtless threesome of fucktards._

 _It wasn't so much the sight, but the reaction of the crowd that garnered the reaction from my borrowed body. The females were screaming for less clothing while the men were yelling about paying for a dance that the dancers weren't giving. When the entire female population of the club rushed the stage, the tips that they had been working for all night being waved in the air, Izzy jumped back from the table right before she was trampled. I could feel a snarl on her face and hear the growl in her throat only for it to catch when her male grabbed on to the stripper pole and begin to climb it, much like she had seen some of the ladies do all night._

 _While her focus was mainly on Peter, from the corners I was able to see what the other two retards were doing and I was not impressed. Jasper, for the mean son of a bitch as he portrays, was on hands on knees, crawling like a human toddler towards the edge of the stage before kicking his legs out in front of him and sliding the rest of the way, and coming to stop in his side, running his hand through his hair and gave a thrust with his hips sending the females into another screaming fit._

 _From the other side of the stage that Garrett person was doing much the same thing, only he was going all out it seemed as he reached for the zipper of his jeans._

 _Turning my attention back to Peter, he was now hanging upside down on the pole, his hands running across his chest before he lifted himself back up and began to spin. I don't know how, it didn't look like it was physically possible, but there he was, spinning like a top._

 _This fucked up little show, that was going to leave mental scars for the next eon at least, only lasted about ten minutes, but it was ten minutes far too long for my tastes. The room spun for a moment at Izzy whipped her head around at a commotion at the from of the bar, a sense of horror setting in as she saw the bouncers of the club making their way through the place, pushing and shoving the men and, while being a little nicer about it, moved the ladies as well._

 _Turning back to the stage, Izzy opened her mouth to yell at them to get down only for her to pause when she saw the biggest fucking human I have personally ever seen rip her male off the pole like he was nothing and dragged both him and Garrett back off stage, leaving a different guy to handle the Major, who did not seem to want to leave anymore._

 _From a distance, only because I had to push my way out, I followed behind them outside and watched, personally with gratitude that it was now completely over, as they were handed off to the police and snorted as they were slammed face first onto the cars and cuffed._

Seeing all I needed to, I left Izzy's mind for the serenity of my own and vowed then and there to learn how to forget something. Opening my eyes and looking up to the sky, I sighed hard and looked back at the young lady, "Well, that was certainly interesting. Shall we go retrieve them or let them stay there for awhile and hope they finally learn that this is not alright?"

Both her brows vanished behind her bangs and she seemed to choke on her breath, "this isn't the first time?"

I snorted, "Heavens no. These two make it their mission to end up behind bars when they spend any real length of time together."

She scratched the back of her neck a second before shrugging, "We have get back to camp soon."

I nodded and waved a hand to her, "Than let's go. I seem to need to have a word with them about this since it seems that they will not learn otherwise."

She just giggled a little before twisting on her toes and darting into the forest, myself and Demetri right on her heels.

*X*

It was about a half hour run to the station that the fucktards were taken to. Once we arrived and told the guard who we were there to see, we were lead back to the holding cells, just in time for us vampires to hear the sound of rock on rock and Peter yelling at Jasper for doing something wrong when in fact, it was him that started this mess.

I glanced down at Izzy and she shook her head with a slack jaw, "He really didn't just say that, did he?"

I nodded, "Yes, Stella. He really just said that."

She chuckled a little, "fucking hell. This is the very last time I don't punch him in the mouth to make him listen." Then she smirked a little as she looked up at me, "There isn't a really pressing reason to get them out right away is there? I mean, how are they ever going to learn if they aren't punished for doing something wrong?"

Both Demetri and I snorted at that. I knew the girl was magnificent. Looking back down at her, I nodded, "I see no reason as to why they cannot spend the night in here, to give them a little time to think about their actions. You are welcome to stay with me for the night and we will return for them in the morning."

She giggled, "they are going to be pissed." Oh, that I do not doubt.

When we were close enough to be able to speak and humanly be heard, I responded to the Captain when he spoke of breaking out, "I would highly recommend against that, Captain. You are in enough trouble as it is."


	25. Chapter 25

You know when you really fuck up and you hear that one voice you REALLY don't want to and it sends the equivalent of ice water down your spine? That is exactly what I felt at the sound of Aro's voice coming from the other side of the cell door. I must be drunker than I thought because I certainly didn't see that coming. I knew something was and I knew that my mate was gonna be fine when on her own, but I had figured that Aro skipped off into the sunset right after we ran into each other the other day so that was the furthest thing from my thoughts.

Turning my head so slow it creaked, eyes widening at the sight of both Aro and Demetri before blinking at the sight of my mate. I knew she had fed during my absence because she was still damp from getting cleaned up and there was still blood visible in spots. However, it wasn't her appearance so much as the expression on her face. She did not look happy right now. She was a cross between annoyed and pissed off. Wonderful.

Before I had the chance to say anything to her though, she smirked at me and crossed her arms, "Did you have fun? Was it worth it?"

From behind and below me, Jasper snorted, "Fuck yes on both counts."

All eyes settled on him and he ignored us all. Iz, Garrett and I just kinda stared at him, Demetri snorted, and Aro... well he looked far less than amused and more than a little ready to beat the fuck out of all three of us.

He crossed his arms, his lips thinned, and his eyes narrowed as they roamed over us. Finally, they rested on me and it took every last ounce of mind I was currently fighting for to not gulp. Again, before I had any time to even try and defend myself, Aro spoke, his voice deceptively calm, but that was probably because he wasn't talking to us quite yet. "Do you mind, Officer, if I have a word with my nephews in private for a moment?"

The guard looked at him in confusion for a second prompting Aro to repeat himself in Spanish so the guy knew what he said. After a simple nod, the guard left us alone with the only person on the planet that can actually kill us. Damn it.

Once the door at the end of the hall slammed shut, Aro growled at us, "Well, do any of you have anything to say for yourselves? This has to be the most stupid, fucked up thing you have done thus far. If you want to get drunk and act like a bunch of damn fools, then do so when you are not responsible for the life and safety of someone else. Do you have ANY idea just what could, and DID, happen, because of your little stunt this evening?"

I went to open my mouth and saw Izzy shake her head frantically at me with wide eyes, prompting me to actually listen to her and keep my mouth shut for once. Instead, I shook my head, as did Garrett. Jasper on the other hand, the drunk fuck, started singing.

"Nobody knowsssss, the trouble I've seen. Nobody knowsssss my sorr..."

There was a collective facepalm by everyone but Aro, who growled again before barking, "Major!"

That sobered his ass up a bit. At least enough for him to realize now was not the time to act like a jackass. His mouth clicked shut and his head snapped to the cell door, eyes wide now that they were open.

"Oh, fuck."

Aro glared at him a little harder before cocking a brow at him, "Get... up... now."

Jasper rolled to his feet and had enough good sense left to look at least a little sheepish. After glaring at him a moment longer, Aro turned his sights on Garrett, "I don't know you, young man, and I will tell you now, you really do not want to know me. This is going to be the last time I ever see you like this lest you want to face serious consequences for it. Am I understood?"

Garrett nodded quick, fast and in a hurry, "Yes, sir."

"Good." Then he turned back to me and this time, I was unable to suppress the gulp. I knew I was in trouble, as was Jasper. I just didn't know how much yet. Aro stared at me a long moment, not saying a word, letting me stew in anticipation to the point I was beginning to fidget. After the pause, Aro shook his head, "The last time I came to your aid in jail, Captain, what did I tell you?"

I didn't want to answer that. However, one was not asked a direct question by him and not answer. Heaving a sigh, "You wouldn't do it again."

He nodded, "Yet, here I am. Do you know what happened to your mate after you were taken this evening?" I shook my head in the negative and really hoped it wasn't that bad if it was being brought up like this. He tisked a little and cocked his head to the side, "She was responsible for the death and massacre of ten humans. She is a scant two months old without the know how on how to properly clean up after herself. Do you not care enough about her to keep her safety in mind when you consume alcohol? Not only would she have been punished should the mess have been discovered by humans, she is also the center of a ring of foolishness that could have landed her in a lot of serious trouble should your absence in her protection been discovered.

"I am holding you completely responsible for the loss of human life, the fact that my guard was the one that cleaned up her mess, and the fact that you failed in your responsibility of her protection."

Wincing at being told that but not having a leg to stand on, I did what I do best... blame that shit on others. "It wasn't completely my fault. It wasn't like it was my intention for this to happen."

He cocked a brow at me, "Are you certain of that? The young lady's memories tell a slightly different story. From what I saw, this was all your idea, as I had figured from the beginning. Though, to be fair, I don't think you would have done it had your little jailhouse buddies not agreed to it as well."

Dropping my chin to my chest at finding out that I was really to blame for this bullshit, I sighed, "So, now what?"

At this, he smirked, "Since this time your actions were both dangerous and destructive to more than just yourself, I believe some time actually paying for your crimes might do you a little good Peter. You and your little friends are staying right where you are until I decide otherwise."

WHAT? Oh, hells naw. Blinking at him, "you're not serious."

His smirk widened so I saw teeth, "I'm dead serious. How are you ever supposed to learn anything if you are not punished for doing something wrong?"

God damn it. I looked over at my mate and saw her looking at me with a cocked brow. I knew that sounded just as familiar to her as it did to me. Looking back at Aro, "Seriously?"

He nodded, "Completely. Since none of you were concerned with the safety and well-being of an infant that you are completely responsible for when you decided to be a bunch of jackoffs, resulting in a human massacre, you are going to stay right where you are. I highly suggest that you take this time to think about your actions and what you can later do to avoid this."

Then he got a little exasperated as turned to look right at me, "Honestly, this is what... your fourth arrest this decade? Eventually you will learn that this is not, in anyway, acceptable behavior. You are responsible for raising a child, and as such, she is going to learn from you that this is fine when it is not. So, I suggest you think long and hard about what you want your mate to learn while in here because eventually, this will cease to be amusing and will begin to piss me off. Is that understood, Captain?"

I groaned a little in my throat as I plopped down on the cot bench next to me and nodded, "Yeah, I got it."

He nodded a little and then turned to Jasper, "Now, as for you, Major. I gave you a pardon from your last fuck up and this is your repayment for it? The term disappointed doesn't even begin to cover it. When I do someone a favor, I do not take kindly to it when they then spit it back in my face."

Looking fully chastised at the remark, Jasper looked at the ground like a child getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He cleared his throat, "Sorry."

Aro cocked a brow at him, "I understand that it has been quite a long time since your human days, but I am near positive that you were once taught that 'sorry' does not change shit. I care not for an apology, Jasper. I care only that you actually LEARN from the mistakes you make and not repeat them again. You are as at fault for this as they are and will face the same punishment. None of you are getting out of here until I decide otherwise and I'm not sure how long that is going to be yet." He then glared at all of us, "And I mean it when I say that this will be the last time this happens for the foreseeable future. Am I clear?"

Once we all said yes, he nodded a hard nod and turned to look at Izzy, "Take a moment to say good night, Stella, so we can leave."

*X*

Watching Izzy walk out with Aro and Demetri was one of the hardest things I have done to date. It wasn't really because she was staying with them while I sat in here, it was that I was sitting in here, looking at a wall, still drunker than fuck. The thing that I was actually most pissed off about was that she didn't even argue with him over this. All she had to do was say 'no' and he would have caved, but she didn't and now I am stuck around humans that I can't eat with two other drunk assholes.

I can't really blame her though, I guess. She did warn that it was a bad idea and not to do it, but come on... we dominated that stage. When you can make a Mexican stripper part with her tips for the night, you know your ass is a sexy beast. I snorted as the night replayed in my mind drawing the other's attention to me, and neither one looked amused.

Jasper kinda glared at me, "I fail to see anything funny about this."

I cocked a brow at him, "Really? because I find quite a bit funny about it. Like the fact that I can see a twenty sticking out of the top of your jeans."

He blinked at me a little before looking down and taking hold of the bill and pulling it out and just stared at it. After a moment he stood up and unzipped his pants prompting both Garrett and I to turn away and cover our eyes when we saw a little too much of his second in command, "What the fuck are you doing, Jazz? Ain't no one wanna see that shit."

He snorted a little before explaining, "Well, might as well see how much a night in jail costs others these days." I glanced at Garrett out of the corner of my eye for a second before we both shrugged and stood, shoving our hands down our pants and began to pull cash out.

Once it was all out and counted, between the three of us, we collected over 900 bucks. Not bad in my opinion for as short a time as we were up there.

Over the next few hours, as the booze started to wear off, a very different picture of the night's events began to swirl in my mind as I paired them with the reprimand ass-reaming from Aro. By the time that I reached the short conversation with Iz from the back of the squad car, I noticed things that I didn't then; like her dark red eyes showing that she was getting hungry and the scent of fear that radiated from her every pour.

Mother fucker but I am a jackass.

If that wasn't bad enough, I was then assaulted with a million different scenarios of things that could have happened to her while on her own. I have no idea why I was so ready to rely on my intuition at the moment knowing that it hasn't been its most reliable lately. I knew someone was going to be calling my phone, but not who exactly it was, and I told her to follow their orders blindly. It could have been anyone and she wouldn't have known otherwise because she listened to me. I knew that she wasn't going to get hurt while we were separated, but there are a lot of other things that could have happened that wouldn't have resulted in injury.

On top of that, I still didn't know the extent of the mutated fairy's plot that involved her, Maria was out and about in the Mexican area and all five of them would love to get ahold of her with me not in any position to stop them.

I felt like shit.

It was hours after dawn, probably about ten in the morning, when we heard the door that led to the holding cells open and a guard call out as he heading down the corridor, "Whitlock, Whitlock, Randel; your bail has been posted." When he got to the cell and unlocked it, he shook his head at the fact that we were still only half clothed. He wasn't here last night when we were brought in and probably heard about it but didn't believe it. "There is restitution on your part to the club. The owners decided not to press charges if you pay for the repairs needed after the mob you created."

Jasper and I looked at each other for a moment, thinking the same thing since this was not the first time we caused damages to a club. This was our first try at dancing for dollars, but we have been in our fair share of bar fights. So we knew they were going to use this to get us to pay for a complete renovation. However, before we could agree or decline, someone beat us to it, "They will be more than happy to pay whatever the owners ask for."

Glaring at Demetri out of the corner of my eye, I whispered under my breath, "asshole."

He actually had the audacity to wink at me. "That is the terms to Aro paying your bail. If you would rather stay here over a couple of hundred dollars in damages, that you caused to the establishment, I don't he is going to be too broken hearted. The choice is yours."

Again with the proper talk. I swear, every single one of the guards AND the brothers need to spend a little time in Texas or some shit so they knock it the fuck off. However, as I have no desire to hang out here, I nodded, as did Jasper and Garrett. "Give a us a bill and we'll take care of it."

Demetri snickered a little as we were led by the guard passed him to get out shit they took from us and to find out what the damages were. Turns out, is was a hefty fucking bill; stingy fuckers.

Five thousand dollars and a criminal trespass restraining order later, the three of us followed Demetri out of the police department and to the car that was waiting to take us to wherever Aro was with my mate.


	26. Chapter 26

On our way to wherever the fuck we were going, I asked the driver to make a quick stop so that I could pick up something for my girl. I didn't know exactly what to get her that said a big enough 'Sorry I fucked up", but I didn't want to show up empty handed after this either. Well, when dealing with a female, I went with new clothes. On top of the fact that my girl looked bangin' in a pair of low riding jeans and corset style top, she was a newborn that went through clothing like a fat man went through cake.

After being called a kissass and giving Jasper the finger, we were once again on our way. I spent the last leg of the drive going over what I was gonna say to Izzy because I really didn't know how pissed off at me she was right now. This was the longest... hell, the only time that we have not been together since she woke up, barring two feedings on my part, and I was feeling a little twitchy, but I wasn't about to get all touchy feely if she was pissy. I knew better than that when it came to the young ones.

When we pulled up to the hotel that Aro was staying at, Demetri looked at all of us, "from here on, you are on your own. I have something I must tend to. Master Aro is waiting for you in the pool area with Miss. Izzy." As he got out of the car, he turned back and smirked a little, "Good luck to you." With that, he was gone leaving us to face our fate.

I didn't have the highest hopes with this.

We headed inside, none of the three of us in any hurry to have this talk with Aro, but at the same time knowing that we really shouldn't keep him waiting; not with as much trouble as we were already in. So, through the hotel to the pool we went, foreboding settling into my gut. I felt that this was going to be fine in the end, but this exact moment in time, I wasn't going to put too much stock into that since the last time I figured it would be alright, I ended up in jail for the night.

Pausing at the door to prepare ourselves for round two with Aro, I opened the door and walked inside, my eyes finding my mate immediately on the diving board. That was either Heidi's suit or Aro took Izzy shopping last night because that wasn't something I bought her. However, it is something I am keeping in mind when, or IF, we ever make it to Colorado. My girl looked even more fuckable than normal at the moment. The suit itself was black, a stark contrast to her pale flesh, covering only enough for me to not kill the other three males present for how much skin was showing.

I liked it.

I was pulled from her by the sound of a throat clearing, making me swallow a growl and close my eyes. ' _Must not snarl at the king. Must not snarl at the king.''_ Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes and glanced off to the far side of the room to where Aro was seated in a chair with a book and a beer. Huh, guess for him it was never too early either.

He didn't look up from the pages, just lifted a hand and crooked a finger at us, indicating for us to quit lollygagging and get our asses moving. WIth one more look at my mate, just in time to see her take her approach, I followed Jasper and Garret over to Aro's table and took a seat in the only open chair. He still didn't look up at us when he began speaking, "five thousand dollars in restitution and a paper trail. I certainly hope the three of you enjoyed yourselves."

None of us said a damn thing. We might have been a bunch of stupid fuckers last night, but with no alcohol in us right now, we knew better.

Finally, he set his book down and looked at all of us in turn. Once he did that, he sighed a little, "Honestly gentlemen, you are not children any longer. You must learn to act your age and not your shoe size from time to time. Though nothing amiss to the point of undoing happened last night, it could have turned out very different and the young lady would have been the only one to suffer for it." He then locked eyes with me, "I have never taken someone's mate away from them before, but if you pull something like this again, Captain, you will leave me with little option on the matter."

I cocked a brow at him at that, "excuse the fuck out of me?"

He wasn't even fazed, simply gazed back at me. "I do not think I could be much clearer than that. I have told you once before, it is my job to ensure my subjects are properly cared for, no matter what I have to do, to do so. I ate grass for you to once again have full use of your gift, that you have apparently forgotten how to use properly anyhow. So what would make you think for one fucking second if I thought that an innocent newborn was being neglected or mistreated by the one vampire that should always put them first was not doing as he should, I wouldn't step in on her behalf to make sure she reached adulthood?

"This is not something I want to do, believe me when I say that. I have absolutely no desire to take her away from you, Peter. I am simply informing you that if you do not keep in mind that she is a newborn and as such needs constant supervision for the next few months, I am prepared too. You have responsibilities to her as not only the male in your mating, but as the elder vampire as well. When you were in Italy, you went to bat for the Major on her behalf. Two weeks later, you are with the major getting arrested and leaving her to her own devices. Now, let me ask you this," he paused and glared hard, "do you not see the fucking problem?"

I dropped hard on to the back on the chair with a sigh, looking over at the pool where my mate was really trying not to pay attention to the conversation. Giving the implication of what he was saying a once tumble, I blinked at him, narrowing my eyes a bit, "You don't honestly think that I would actually choose Jasper over my mate?"

He cocked a brow and crossed his arms, "You tell me. To tell you the truth, that is the way it seems."

Oh, fuck no. Now I was pissed. Leveling a glare at him, I growled, "While I can't deny last night got a little out of hand, ain't no one more important than her. I went to bat for Jazz on her behalf because SHE wanted him around. I got arrested with him because she's smarter than we are. I will tell you the same fucking thing I told the cunt ass bitch, you ain't takin' shit from me as long as I continue to exist. King or not, I will fuck you up ten way to Sunday if you so much as THINK about pulling that shit. She is mine and if I have to take out your entire fucking guard, you take her and I will get her back."

Aro just looked at me a short moment before smirking wide, "now, there is the passion I wanted to see from you, Peter. You certainly know how to keep people guessing when it comes to your thoughts."

Snarky little fucker.

Shooting out of my seat, I leaned over the table and got in his face, "You're a fucker."

He shrugged, "Sticks and stones Captain. Now have a seat. Time grows short here and I want to go home." Then turning from me, he called out to my girl, "Stella, would come here, please? This pertains to you as well."

Izzy glanced his way before nodding and swimming to the edge of the pool, climbing out and, after grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her hips, walked over and dropped down in my lap, leaning back against my chest as I wrapped an arm around her waist.

Aro smiled a little before looking back at the rest of us. A short pause to drink his beer, he swallowed and sighed, "Demetri, along with Felix and Heidi, are currently in your camp setting up an escape route for you. They are making it look as if your unreturning is connected to their presence for reasons other than the real reason you are not back yet. They will make it look as if you were captured by us and taken back to Italy for your parts in creating an army."

Finishing his beer and standing, "I suggest you take it for what it is and get the fuck out of dodge as soon as you can."

I thought about that for a moment, taking in the out and pairing it with my ruling desire to fuck up a coven of little fuckwads and teach them a very valuable lesson in fucking with something that belongs to me.

Looking down at my mate and seeing her looking up at me, I decided that a little extended leave from the army wouldn't hurt. She wanted to go to Colorado and what she wants, she gets.

Plus, there are all KINDS of things I can do to her in the privacy of my own home.

*X*

We had hung out in Mexico until later in the afternoon before boarding a plane and headed to Colorado for a little down and dirty time. I figured we had about a month or so before all this shit came to a head and we would use that time to prepare Izzy fully for the showdown that was on the horizon. The best part of doing it this way, no more punishments for her; no more bites, removal of limbs, threats; none of it. I could train her to be a kickass fighter without actually hurting her. It was a win all around in my book.

Once we arrived and got the house opened up and the older ones of us got it baby proofed, I kicked Jasper and Garrett out to the guest house on the back of the property. I had spent quite enough time around others for the time being and while their help was still needed, that didn't negate my need for solidarity and quiet. I had spent so much time on my own since I killed Char that I really didn't like others anymore. My mate aside, of course.

I let her roam around and get a feel for the area, telling her the boundaries of the property and where she was allowed to go and where she wasn't, while I spoke with Jasper about what to expect when we finally met up with the coven of pussies. There was something there that I knew I needed to find out but I wouldn't know what it was until I heard it.

I didn't think that they were all that hotshit without the use of reading minds and seeing the future, but it turns out that the stupid bastard had actually taught them how to fight... properly. The restraint I showed in not punching him in the mouth again should tell him that I still see him as a brother, even if he is a fucking jackass.

"So, let me get this straight. You actually taught the 'peace loving, human protecting' coven of golden eyed jackoffs how to fight?"

He crossed his arms and shrugged, "It was decades ago, way back when I had first joined up with them and I was still being hunted by BOTH Maria and the Volturi. At the time, it was necessary."

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I sighed, "Alright, I can work with this." Looking up at him, "Did they all participate or just a few?"

"All but Carlisle and Esme, but they watched. If they are any kind of real vampires, they will still know what to do."

At that I snorted, "come on, Jazz. Let's face facts here... none of us are REAL vampires. For fuck's sake, we SPARKLE. You tell me ONE legend that we sparkle in and I will call you a fucking liar. Seriously, where are the fangs? I would trade the sparkle for fangs any day of the fucking week."

He smirked, "Yeah, and then there is the sun allergy that is a bit deadly."

I gave him the finger, "Don't be pissing on my parade, asshole. But let's get back to the point here. What kind of pupils were they?"

He snorted, "piss poor at best. If any one of them were actually in the southern army, they wouldn't have lasted a week. That being said, I have zero way of knowing if they were being a bunch of retards or were fucking up on purpose."

I cocked a brow at him, "You don't, huh? Jesus Jasper, do I really have to do every fucking thing for you? Use the brain Satan gave you and think about that shit a moment. How long were you with them? Did the mutant midget have enough time to open her mouth about the future? What were they feeling while you were showing them different shit? Did you show them shit that was actually worth a fuck or simple defense? Think fucker, this shit is important."

He went quiet for a few minutes, searching his memories from over 60 years ago as I waited. I knew that the answers I needed were locked in there somewhere and if I had to beat them out of him, I would. I needed to know the kind of threat they actually were without the three gifted vampires at their disposal. I was relatively sure that between me, Jasper, Garrett and Izzy we would be able to deal with it, but I was beginning to become concerned that they had an ace in the hole that had nothing to do with Maria.


	27. Chapter 27

As I stood there waiting for Jasper to get his head out of his ass and figure out what I was looking for, I let my own mind wander slightly, thinking about the implications that were staring me in the fucking face that I was currently blind to seeing. Lowering my head, I crossed my arms and closed my eyes, giving my gift free reign to do it's thing.

I knew enough about this to know that at some point, I would finally be given the whole picture and not just snippets. The ISSUE is, the situation keeps changing. I never said that my gift was infallible, never thought it was without its bugs. I knew this wasn't the case and there was holes and room for error in anything I was told by whoever lived in my skull. It was just that sometimes the holes were bigger than others and there was a larger margin of error. Unlike the mutant midget, my intuition wasn't based on the choices of others. What I was told was going to happen exactly as I am told it will. HOWEVER, that said, the voices I hear leave out some shit that could, or could not, be important. They don't want to get that shit wrong any more than I want them to, so they keep some things to themselves until they have all the information on the situation and then I get the picture painted stroke for stroke. I know a lot about it and I like very little of it, but the main thing, the one that will be the deciding factor on how this is handled, is still just right there out of my reach.

I knew that my Sugar was the main target of this bullshit but though I knew that, I was having a little bit of a hard time understanding why. None of this made the damnedest bit of sense to me. Why would the Cullen coven pay someone to kill a human, only to save her from them, and then offer up MORE cash? Though it didn't make sense, I was positive that the answers lie in the Major's big 'ol brain. He was a silent observer, a watcher; a listener. He heard or saw something over the decades he was pussified that held the answer to that. I just had to figure out how to go about getting it out of him when I wasn't completely sure what I was even after. The dots were there, all I had to do now was connect them and then solve the puzzle.

I am fully convinced that I loved riddles as a human.

I felt arms circle my arm and looked down at my mate, seeing a look of scared contemplation on her face, causing my brow to draw a bit. "What's up Sugar?"

She shook her head a little bit and bit her lip, "I feel like I'm being watched."

I blinked at that before looking up at Jasper when he snorted a little, "Get used to it, Darlin. My guess, Aro is having Alice checking in on you to make sure you're alright since there is no one within miles of here but the four of us."

She curled her lip a little, "I don't like it. I felt this when we were in Mexico too and I didn't like it then either. I feel... exposed." Well, that explains how Aro knew where to find us.

Jasper just smiled at her, "I know the feeling. I spent nearly 70 years being spied on."

Izzy wrinkled her nose and grunted, "tell me again why you didn't just rip her head off and be done with it? From what I can tell, you're a big boy and are perfectly capable of making your own decisions, right or wrong, and don't really need a babysitter."

He just shrugged at that, "while I am inclined to agree, you would be surprised at how wrong that statement is... or was, Whichever."

Izzy just shook her head a little before looking back up at me, "So, what's the plan now?"

I hummed in my throat a little and cocked my head to the side. "Currently, I am waiting for Jazz here to answer a few questions for me. After that, depending on said answers, I'll let you know."

She just groaned before pulling away and crossing her arms, a pout on her face. "This is really starting to border ridiculous. I mean seriously, in the last three weeks, I would have that thought that if they had the fucking balls to have me hunted like they did, they would have also had the fucking balls to show themselves. Personally, I think that they are nothing but a bunch of fucking pansies and without the two that Aro now holds, they got nothin'."

She then looked up at Jasper, "You said once that fuckward could read minds and I saw first hand that the little imp looking thing could see into the future. You were their front line of defense, so really, without the three of you... what could they really have?"

Jasper considered that question a moment before looking up at me, "friends in high places."

I cocked a brow at that, "beg pardon?"

He was silent for a moment more before crossing his arms, "They have, or Carlisle rather, has friends all over the place, all across the spectrum of vampiric hierarchy. Some are gifted with abilities, others age and others experience. We know that preservation is the number one instinct that we have and there is not a single vampire out there that wouldn't literally do whatever they had to, to survive. The entire coven is now on Aro's radar for bringing a human into our world and there is not a one of them that would willing serve a day on the guard for doing so."

' _Ask about the big one.'_ The fuck? What the hell does that have to do with...

Holding up a finger, "The big fucker, what do you know about him?"

Jasper looked a little taken aback at that, "Why?"

I pursed my lips a little, "Remember what the redhead said? The big one had friends or family in the area of Maria's camp. They have to be humans because we were all over that area and would have heard about them, at least in passing, if they were joining up with other vampires. Especially in camp because we would have had to have been told if they were allies or enemies so we didn't kill them on 'accident'."

Jasper shrugged a shoulder, "he's 70 years old from Tennessee. I cannot imagine him having ties there unless they are really old family friends. If that's the case, the Cullens have been toeing the human/vampire line a lot closer than we thought for a lot longer than we thought. IF the ties we were told about are real and they are human, this..."

Izzy hummed a little before cutting Jasper off, "What if the information Victoria gave us is wrong, but not by her own fault?"

We all just looked at her a moment before the suspense got to much and Garrett snapped, "Go on."

She glared at him a little, "well, excuse me asswhip, that I MIGHT want to think this through a bit. Bite me fucker." After a little huff, she looked over at Jasper, "What if they really did tell her that so when she was caught, she could relay it?"

Jasper hummed in his throat, "But, why would they actually GO there if it was a ploy?"

She giggled a little, "dedication? Think about it this way; they know that there would be no way you would EVER go back there without a damn good fucking reason. Had we not crossed their scent on the way to the camp, would we have kept going? They had to give incentive and since they have some sort of deal with the bitch of the eon, they were safe from hostility in being in her territory. We were led to believe that she didn't know about them so we would go, get detained, and they had enough time to put their plans into action."

Jasper and I locked eyes at that. Mother fuckers. If that was even partially right, they have had weeks worth of a head start on this. In that time, any brain dead vampire could lay the groundwork for just about anything.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed, "Alright, so, let's assume that they have brought in friends, gifted and not. What kind of powers are we talking about?"

I felt Izzy shudder a little before looking over her shoulder. Looking where she was, I dipped my head, "What is it, Sugar?"

Her face scrunched up a bit as her eyes started to roam a bit, "I still feel like I have eyes on me." I watched her eyes roam the treeline a little more, "this feels different than Mexico. That was nothing but a blip, this is constant." She gave the trees another roaming before locking on one area where she nodded towards, "it's coming from over there."

I squinted my eyes on the spot she indicated, my lips pulling from me teeth a bit. Gently pushing Izzy towards Garrett, I didn't even look his way as I spoke, "Take Izzy inside and keep her there. I don't care what you hear, feel, THINK; You KEEP her ass there this time or I will rip your head off and shove it up your ass".

I jerked my head to Jasper and with a nod from him, we were off, going opposite directions towards the woods. Once we were in the trees, we were once again transported back and molded back into one. Plus, this was an area that we both knew like the back of our hands seeing as this was the first property that I ever bought and he help with the expansion and construction of the grounds.

If there was actually someone stupid enough to be here, they were about to really hate life.

 **JPOV**

Snarling like a ficking dog, I took to the trees the moment that the scent caressed my nose. He was good, I would have to give him that much. It takes a LOT to get around my gift. It's not impossible, nothing is, but it takes a fuck of a lot to do it and I honestly didn't think he had it in him. Never underestimate the stupid ones apparently. A mistake that I will never make again.

The difference between us though; I was smaller, lighter and better at both stealth and tracking. The fucking retard wasn't leaving the woods in one piece, that much was a guarantee.

I could see him only a few hundred yards ahead of me so I shifted my path so I stayed downwind and get in front of him. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Peter closing in the same way I was. He was upwind and when the one we were hunting caught his scent, he would turn my way and BAM, it would be over.

I moved into position just as Peter dropped to the ground, making enough noise to be heard, making the trespasser do just as I thought he would and head right for me. I shifted my weight and counted down from five and dove out of the leaves, spearing him right in the gut, tackling him to his back. We tumbled a little, but even though he was twice my size, Emmett was never any actual match for my expertise when it came to capture and containment.

During the tumble, I got him to his stomach, got his massive arms crossed behind his back before opening my mouth and biting roughly against his neck; not enough for decapitation but enough to gain full control over him if he wanted it to stay that way. Once I had that, I pumped him chock full of compliance and calm to keep him subdued and get him talking once Peter got closer.

Peter however, seemed to have no plans on asking any questions right at the moment if the eyes of the Devil were anything to go by. There wasn't even a sliver of white to be found in the onyx orbs. His teeth were bared and there was a deep, dark rumble in his chest. Once he was right in front of us, he crouched down, putting his hands on the ground and getting nose to nose with the behemoth of a vampire. When he spoke, his voice was a growl and hard to understand if you didn't have any experience with an actually pissed off Peter. When I heard it again, I was transported back 88 years into the past, to the one and only time I have ever seen him lose his temper.

 _ **Flashback**_

" _I don't rightly give a fuck. When I say something, I expect it done EXACTLY as I say, when I say. Ya understand maggot?"_

 _The younger vampire before me was shaking and probably overly glad he could no longer piss himself as he nodded, "Yes Sir, Major. It won't happen again."_

 _I smirked wide, "You're Goddamn right it won't." Taking a step back, three executioners pounced on him, ripping him into teeny tiny pieces before stepping out of my way. I took another hit from my cigarette, blowing the smoke out of my nose as I crouched down in front of his face. Glancing at the cherry as I twisted my wrist making the smoke dance around before looking back in his eyes, "Because I ain't gonna let it." Then I flicked the butt onto the pile of quivering body parts not move a muscle, even as the others jumped five feet back, as they caught and ignited, shooting a pillar of fire into the air._

 _I watched the reds, yellows and orange dance and swirl around, taking in the warmth and letting it warm my stone skin. I would have stayed there for a while longer had there not been a commotion on the other side of camp. Heaving a hard sigh, I stood and made my way over to see what the fuck was going on and find out who my next victim of the night was gonna be. This was just gonna be one of those nights, I could feel it. I had already burned five and looked like there was about to be a sixth._

 _Stupid little mother fuckers._

 _There was a ring of older soldiers caging in a group of what looked like nothing but a bunch of newborns. Rolling my eyes, I brought my fingers to my lips and blew a whistle, telling everyone to shut the fuck up and stand down. There was a scramble and dash causing me to sigh a little before focusing my gift and sending out a choking wave of chill out causing more than a few to actually fall to their knees from the strength._

 _Looking out over the area, "So, anyone wanna tell me just what the fuck is going on?" When no one volunteered to tell me, I growled, "That wasn't a fucking question. Someone better speak the fuck up before you all get your asses beat."_

 _I was hit with a 'kick to the dick' wave of deception and vengeance before someone called out, "He started it!"_

 _I looked over at the one that called out and saw a month old newborn then looked to where he was pointing, cocking a brow when I saw he was pointing at Peter. Turning back to the accuser, I crossed my arms and just stared at him, waiting for him to falter. There was no part of me that believed that, even taking the emotions I was feeling from him out of the equation. Peter didn't start shit, he ended it. When he held fast to that claim, I turned back to Peter and the look of murder on his face, "Captain; explain yourself."_

 _His head snapped to look at me, eyes dark and blank of all emotions. This was a first. Peter was probably the most emotionally driven vampire alive. To see none in his eyes meant nothing good I was sure._

 _However, before he had a chance to say a word, there was a new voice from behind me, "His explanation is not relevant, Major, and you know it."_

 _Looking over my shoulder, I saw Maria gliding towards the crowd. God dammit, I could have handled this without venom shed if she would have just stayed out of it. Cocking a brow at her, "The fuck it isn't. As one of my officers..."_

 _The bitch gave me the most condescending look she ever had, "But he is MY officer and I say it doesn't matter. You know the punishment, Major, and he is not above it. If you are incapable of following orders as well, you can join him."_

 _Pursing my lips and narrowing my eyes a little, I quietly growled in my throat before turning back to Peter, seeing his eyes spark with malice before once again going blank. Knowing him as well as I did, I dosed him, taking away his will to fight and forcing him to his knees before calling the order for dismemberment._

 _When it wasn't followed by the one for death, Maria saddled her little ass right up behind me, lowering her voice so only I could hear her, "Do not tell me that you refuse to destroy him."_

 _I gave a slow shake of my head before looking back and down at her, "Of course not. However, he is the reason that we win 98% of the battles we go into. Do you really want to lose that edge you have with him still alive? He's still a youngin, still has spirit. Let him learn his lesson then put him back on the front lines."_

 _Maria gave that thought a tumble through her mind a minute before nodding, "Very well, Major." She walked past me and up to the body parts that littered the ground. She cocked her head a little before bending down and picking up his arm and using it to dig a hole in the ground. I just cocked a brow at her, wondering what the fuck she was doing. Once I figured it out, I actually felt like throwing up. She was using his own hand to dig a hole to bury his head._

 _Once she was done, she then used his own hand to shove the dirt back into the hole. She then tossed the arm with the rest of him, stood and brushed the dirt from her skirt before turning to me, "Pick him up and put him where no one will mess with the pieces." I blinked at her a few times as she looked back at his body, "what do you think Major; six months, a year? How long do you think it will take to break that spirit of his?"_

 _I shrugged, "hard tellin', Mistress."_

 _She tapped her finger to her chin a few times, "Let's make it a year, just to make sure he learns that lesson you were speaking of."_

 _This wasn't gonna break him... it was gonna piss him off if not drive him insane._

 _For the following 364 days, I avoided that spot like it would kill me if I touched it. I could feel different emotions still coming from him since the brain was still functioning. Everyday the anger, the resentment, the vengeance, the loathing grew and I said nothing to anyone about it nor did I do anything to take it away. Peter was entitled to it, owed it. Whatever happened when he was dug up was nothing that could not be foreseen with a little common fucking sense. However, even though I knew what he was feeling, I never could have imagined the viciousness he was going to show on the dawn of day 365. All I did over that year was send him a little reassurance, some measure of contact to keep him sane so I wasn't forced to destroy him when the time came._

 _As the sun was cresting the horizon on that morning, I put his body back together outside camp, leaving it under the guard of a few newborns that had no idea who he was and three older ones that did, one of which being the one that accused him, before heading into the city to get some blood so I could put his head back on. Once that was done, I went to get the head, pumping it full of sedation so he didn't try and bite me when I went to pick him up._

 _Once he was out of the ground, I said nothing, the look in his eyes telling me everything I needed to know. I smirked as I left camp, tossing his head to the then newborn, "Put it on."_

 _The guy, Mark I think, gave me a look that told me just how little he liked the order making me cock a brow, "You're old enough to know not to question me. Put. It. On." Then I leaned on a tree trunk and waited._

 _He looked at Peter's head before sighing lightly and turning to the body that was being held up, but not restrained properly, and putting it on, holding it in place as the venom did its thing and fused head to body._

 _He never saw it coming._

 _Peter ripped free of the piss poor hold, diving at the son of bitch with a snarl and proceeded to tear into him like a wolf with a deer carcass. In three seconds there was nothing left of him and Peter rounded on the others, doing the same to them. If they tried to run, he gave chase, catching them and mauling them too. I was actually shocked at the fact that he could do this without eating first._

 _I was shocked even further when I found myself laid out on my back with Peter nose to nose with me, his hand wrapped around my throat. It was the look in his eyes that held me where I was. I knew they were black having seen them when I picked up his head, but it was what was IN them that startled me into inaction._

 _He was still growling, he teeth were bared and dripping venom on my chest. When he spoke though was when I realized that Peter was the devil in the flesh. Not even I was this fucking demonic when pissed off. It was a little difficult to understand with the growl, but I got the jist._

" _Only warning, Major. Do that shit again and Satan will cringe when he sees what I do to you. He will vomit at the sight and quiver in fear at the thought of ever seeing me. Do you fucking understand, asshole?"_

 _I just nodded at him to which he snarled and snapped his teeth at my nose before twisting away from me and finally attacking the humans that were beginning to wake up. Once he was fed and the bodies were burned, he turned back to me, his eyes still holding that same malice from last year, his voice still shrouded with a growl when he spoke, "For the fucking record, I didn't do shit. That piece of fuckall was goin' against one of the few morals I got left. Ain't no asswipe gonna be rapin' no one where I can see it, ya hear? Remember what I said, you ever try that again, I will end you."_

 _ **End Flashback**_

Knowing Peter, he meant that. I wasn't scared of him, but I did know that if he got something in his head, he would move Heaven, Hell and the cosmos themselves to see it through and as I watched him stare at Emmett right now, all I saw was the Peter from that day, the same malice and pure pissed offness that actually sent a tremor down my spine as I held the mammoth to the ground.

As that growl covered voice reached my ears, I tried to translate it as fast as I could in case I was told to rip his fucking head off.

"You got guts, I'll give ya that; and I'm gonna use 'em to hang you in my house like a fucking chandelier." Then he turned those demonic eyes on me, "Take his head. We got work to do."

Off the head came like a dandelion top.


	28. Chapter 28

I never wanted to be back here, back in the recesses of my mind in the dark, cold and dank. In the area where the wicked and evil lurk and fester like a cancerous mold, consuming and demanding. In the place that I have only been once and worked extremely hard to never go again after that first taste. It was chocolate dipped strawberries, it was lollipops, it was ambrosia; it was terror and delight. It was the cusp of sanity and fuck it. I was on the precipice of salvation and damnation and I wasn't gonna stop myself from going either way this time.

I fought for sanity before, fought the monster within and won. I fought for a chick that I didn't even know and spent a year under the dirt, literally getting walked all over and being taunted and pushed the brink of losing it. I would never say it to him, and I didn't have to, but it was only because of Jasper that I kept hold of a sliver of mind, if you can call it that. No one can stay like that for that long and come out unchanged and completely intact. I am like I am because of that time in the dark and I cannot say that I don't like it..

This time... this time it was for salvation in the form of damnation. The last girl was a face that passed through camp and was gone before I was put back together. This time the girl was mine and I was about to show Jasper just how little he really knows about me and my demon; the demon he created almost a century ago with a single order.

I drug the monster of a vampire by a foot behind me, not giving a fuck if it hit something or anything like it. I wasn't even sure, at this point, how long it was going to stay in its present state of intact. I drug him through the trees, across my back yard when we broke the line and up to the outside door to the cellar. I had the keys to it in my pocket, but instead I chose to crush the padlock in my hand before kicking the doors open and throwing the body in, smirking as I watched it bounce down the concrete steps. I didn't care that every one the body touched crumbled. That was an easy fix.

What wasn't was what I was about to do to the body.

Bounding down the steps in a near skip like movement, I leapt over the body, leaving it where it landed and turned back to Jasper, clapping my hands and held them up for the head, missing it on purpose when he tossed it to me, watching it bounce and roll across the floor. Looking back at Jasper, I grinned, "oops."

Turning away from him on my heel, I strolled across the room to the light switch on the other side, flipping it on. Glancing over my shoulder, I watched as the lights kicked on, lighting up the space, taking a moment to check out Jasper's expression to my little man cave, almost giggling when his eyes widened at the sight.

There was a wall of T.V.s that came on with the lights showing different areas of all my properties. There were work benches covered in tools, wood and other shit used for fixin' or in this case, breaking. Lockers of various sizes lined one wall and a fully stocked bar on another. This was the house that I was currently residing in when I got the call to play knight in shining armor so everything that was normally put up wasn't.

Moving over to the security system, I took a seat and pushed a few buttons and the pictures on the screens changed to show the cameras within this house. Humming in my throat, I scrolled the different channels until I found my girl and Garrett. They were seated at the kitchen bar, my girl with a bottle of bourbon and Garrett with a beer talking about whatever the fuck. With a flick of a switch, the microphones came to life. Leaning back in my seat and crossing my arms, I listened in a few minutes to gauge Izzy's comfort level to make the determination on whether or not to bring her down here or if I had enough time to get the worst of it over with before that happened.

" _They've been gone awhile. Do you think they're alright?_ "

I heard Garrett snort, " _no. I know they. What you don't know yet, Young Lady, is that there is very little that those two together cannot overcome_." I glanced over my shoulder at Jasper when he came to stand behind me, giving a shrug and turning back to the screen as Garrett leaned against the counter and crossed his arms, " _You will simply have to trust me when I say they are both perfectly alright._ "

I watched Izzy chew on her lip a moment before dropping her eyes to the counter, " _But what about Mexico?_ "

Garrett cocked his head to the side, " _you refer to the first day, yes?_ " When she nodded, he shrugged, " _Circumstances being what they were, living to fight another day was the motto to live by then. I have never seen Peter truly angry before, but I have seen Jasper lose it on more than one occasion in the past. Again, you are just going to have to trust on this."_

"So what is the plan, Captain?" Good, the fucker remembered the way this worked. My house, my rules.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly through my nose as I cocked my head to the side. I wasn't really doing her any favors keeping my darker side from her nor was it a good idea to leave her there much longer to stew in concern and worry. After a moment, I cut the feed and brought back up the surveillance of the other properties and stood, "Go get her. This something that she need to see."

He nodded and headed for the steps as I went over to the head that was just chillin' in the floor where it stopped at. Picking it up by the hair, I held it eye level to me and smirked, not saying anything. I could feel the red draining from my eyes again as I looked into the rapidly darkening gold. After a moment, I chuckled as I turned and made my way over to the wall of lockers, opening one and pulling out a wooden box and taking it over to a work bench.

"You and yours like to play games with the lives of others, do you?" Opening the box, I flipped a switch on the lid and chuckled again when the bright as fuck heating lamps inside kicked on. Holding the head in both hands, I locked eyes with him, "Well, let's see how you like this one."

I dropped the head in the box and shut the lid and doing the latch to keep it closed just as the door to the main house opened and my girl came down the stairs. She paused to give the room a once over before moving across the room to me, her eyes landing and staying on the headless body at the base of the other set of steps, but not pausing her stride. When she reached me, she looked up and cocked her head to the side, brow drawn and a little scared, "You're alright, right?"

I smiled at her and nodded as I dipped down and brushed my lips to her, "perfect Sugar." Pulling back a little, I cocked a brow at her, "Are you?"

She smiled a little and nodded, "yeah."

Giving her a wink, I nodded over at the bar, "Have a seat, Sugar. This is gonna take a while."

She nodded but then seemed to remember the body, "who's that?"

"All in good time, Mate, now git." I gave her a swat on the ass to get her moving. She giggled a little and went over to the bar where Garrett was already seated and handed her a drink once she was as well. I picked up the box holding the head and put it back in the locker it came from for now. I would get to that, but a few other things needed done first. I was gonna get my answers straight from the fucking source.

Nodding at the body to Jasper, he gave me a hand picking up the massive body and putting on my workbench. I went over to a different locker and pulled out a pile of chains and tossed them on the floor next to the bench before I pointed to yet another locker that contained my tools. "Get the drill and the stone bit attachment."

He plugged in my drill as I jumped up on the table, putting my knee between the body's shoulder blades to hold it still and took the drill when it was handed to me. Pulling the trigger a few times, only because I love that fucking sound, I looked over at my mate and locked eyes with her, "Cover your ears, Sugar. This gets a little loud."

She blinked at me but did as I said and I put the tip of the bit on the back of the bastard's neck, shifted my weight and pressed down, pulling the trigger again and drilling a hole right through the fucker. As long as there is brain activity, it feels what the body feels so I knew he was feeling this even if he couldn't react to it.

I chuckled when I heard Jasper whisper 'Holy shit' and glanced at him out of the corner of my eye a quick second before turning back to the task. It took a few minutes to accomplish the task of drilling a hole, but once it was done, you could see the table through it. Tossing the drill to Jasper, I stood up and took a few steps back, setting my foot between his legs, I picked one up under each arm before pulling back and kicking forward, removing the legs and pushing the torso off the other side. Leaving to torso go for now, I dropped one leg and took the other, knee cap down, and snapped it in half with my knee then doing the same to other. Calling out to the head in the box, "Are you having fun yet? Cause I sure as fuck am." There was an attempt to speak I was sure, but the lack of lungs made that shit impossible.

After the legs were taken care of, I hopped to the floor and went back over to the torso, removing both arms and breaking them at the elbows. Crouching down, I reached for and grabbed a length of chain and threaded it through the hole I drilled. Leaving the limbs where I dropped them, I pulled the torso by the chain into the middle of the room. Leaping into the rafters, I hung upside down and pointed to the chain, "Hand me that."

Jasper, looking a little pale for a vamp, tossed one side up, waiting for me to hook it up before tossing me the other side. Lifting myself back up to sit on the rafter, I draped a length of it over the side, before dropping back to the floor, pulling the chain with me and hoisting the torso up, suspending it in the air. Pulling on the chain a few times and raising the body higher, I used a foot to pull a screwdriver to me and, threading the tip through a link, dove it into the concrete, keeping the torso where I wanted it.

Once that was done, I went over to a corner and grabbed the handle to a truck that I have not so much as touched in over 50 years and pulled it into the center of the room. With a flick of the wrist, I broke the lock and opened the lid, reached in and pulled out a headless vampire body. that was chained many times over, and tossed it haphazardly onto the floor.

There was a choking noise from the bar drawing my attention to my mate. I cocked a brow at her and waited a minute for her to get it out. It took her 47 seconds to get passed the shock. "Who the fuck is that?"

At that I shrugged, "No idea. Never asked for a name before I obliterated his head."

"How long has he been there?"

I hummed in my throat as I did the math. "54 years and seven months."

"Why?"

Again, I just shrugged as I went back to what I was doing, "he irritated me."

I swallowed the chuckle when I heard Jasper whisper to her, "Told you, you have no idea the kind of guy you're mated to. I wasn't lying when I said Peter was one of the worst. Just relax and watch the show, Darlin'."

There was a grunt but otherwise no response.

Taking a little break before the real fun began, I went to the bar and grabbed a beer, hopping up and sitting on the bartop and took a long pull from the bottle. I needed her to know who the dismembered body belonged to so that IF any memories returned at seeing the head, it wouldn't come out of left field for her.

Draping my forearms over my thighs, I leaned forward and looked at her, "Listen to me Sugar." Nodding at the swinging torso, "That belongs to a member of the Cullen coven. I am telling you this because I don't know what seeing the head, more so the face, will do as far as your memories go. You need to prepare yourself for anything. Keep in mind though, that for all the chances that seeing it will surface some things that I know you would rather not remember, there is just as much of a chance that nothing at all will happen. It's a coin toss on the way this is gonna go."

She blinked at me a few times before looking over at the body. After a moment she looked back, "where's the head now?"

I tilted my head to the locker, "in there in a hot box."

"Hot box?"

I nodded and hummed as I took another drink. After swallowing and licking my lips, "Heat lamps, like in a human tanning bed, synthetic sunlight basically, line the box, drying out the venom that is still present after decapitation. What it actually does it speed up the process, getting the same result of being decapitated for years in a few minutes. He's been in there for about twenty minutes which is roughly the equivalent of so many years without a body, give or take of course."

Jasper choked a little on the beer he was drinking, "what the fuck, man? When in the hell did you come up with that?"

I turned to look at him to answer, "about twenty-five years ago or so. Only used it like, ten times maybe."

Izzy gagged pulling my attention back to her in time to see her pull a face at that, "you're an asshole."

I smirked wide before getting nose to nose with her, "I believe I have already told you that before. This is nothing new." Giving her lips another peck, I pulled back, finished my beer and hopped down and turned to look at her, "The choice is yours, Sugar. I won't force you to stay and watch what I am about to do to this guy." When she looked a little unsure, I went over to her, put my hands on her thighs and bent down to look in her eyes, "Remember what I told you in Canada before we left? I ain't got a lot of morels on a normal day, but when it comes to something that's mine, even those go out the window.

"This mother fucker, even if I don't know exactly how much, was involved with what happened to you. Given that he was not only found trespassing on my property, but was caught spying on you for whatever reason, I am not really in the mood currently to ask politely and find out his side of the story. Plus, you get better answers this way. Vampires are far more inclined to tell the truth when they know they're fucked and the truth being the only thing to, MAYBE, set them free."

She looked at me a long moment, searching for something that I couldn't name before smiling a little, "I'll stay."

I winked at her, "that's my girl. Just remember, be prepared for something to surface."

She nodded and I went over to get the hot box. Going over to the body on the floor, I sent the box down and hooked the the chain that was around the body to the floor to keep it right where it was. Once that was done, I glanced at my mate and cocked a brow at her, making sure she was ready for this and once she nodded, I opened the lid and pulled the head out by the hair, keeping my eyes on her.

She just looked at it, her eyes going blank. I waited with bated breath for her to resurface and when she did, her face was blank of everything and she shrugged, "I got nothin'."

"It could still happen so don't let your guard down just yet."

The body and neck began to fuse making a sizzling sound and that was when Jasper called out to me, "Careful Captain. That son of a bitch is a strong mother fucker."

I snorted hard, "Yeah, strong in body but weak in the head. Plus, that is a body that hasn't had a drop of blood in over a half a century. It'll be fine."

Once I was sure that the fuse took hold. I dropped the body face first onto the floor and went back over to a different locker, pulling out a sledgehammer. Kicking the broken limbs over towards the body that was slowly picking itself up, I walked over and dropped the heavy tool right in front of his nose.

Crouching down, I grabbed him by the hair on the back of his head and hoisted him up before dropping him to sit on his ass. I snapped my fingers and Jasper tossed me a bag of blood from the fridge. Holding that in one hand, I leaned on the handle of the sledgehammer like a cane. Clearing my throat, I waited for him to look up, tossing the bag in the air a few times until it caught his attention.

Once it did, I popped the bag, letting the blood splash on the floor and drip down my arm. When he dove for it, I kicked him in face, knocking him back a bit and away from the puddle. "You wanna eat, you earn it." He growled and I smirked at him, "This is how this game is played. I ask you a question, You answer. A right answer earns you points towards feeding. Answer wrong..." I picked up the sledgehammer and twirled it in a circle, looking at it and not him, "I take this beautiful creation here and smash a part of your own body into gravel. When I run out of limbs..." looking back at him now, "I use your torso as a fucking pinata and I aim for your dick. Ya got it, or do we to run through the rules again?" He snarled at me and took that as he understood.

Bending at the waist, I locked eyes with him and smiled wide, "Remember, the amount of body parts left at the end of the game is completely up to you. Now, let's begin."


	29. Chapter 29

Standing tall before the chained up and restrained vampire, I pick up an arm and set on the stone floor in front of him before setting the sledgehammer against my shoulder and began to walk a circle around him. Coming to a stop in front of him again, I cocked my head to the side, "Let's start with an easy one; why are you here?"

The hulk I turned into a pint-sized rugrat glared at me, teeth bared and a growl in his throat. Not a very bright one, is he? Either he doesn't really think I am about to dust his hand, or he thinks that Jasper is going to stop me. Either way, it ain't gonna happen. I am really about to bring the hammer down and if Jasper tries to stop me, I'll shatter his fucking face.

Smiling nice and big, I chuckled lightly, almost giggled, as I twirled the hammer around, "need some proof I ain't fuckin' around? Don't worry," looking him dead in the eyes, "I ain't." and brought the hammer head down on the right hand, shattering it into itty bitty tiny pieces.

Since his head was attached to another body, he couldn't feel that, but the psychological torment of watching me smash the hand he masterbates with was enough to get him talking. Not answering my question mind you, but it loosened his lips a bit.

"You mother fucker! I jack off with that hand!"

I tittered, "correction; you jackED off with that hand. Not a lot of that in your future anymore there, Bud. Now, answer the fucking question or you lose your whole damn arm. Why are you here?"

He glared at me and snapped his teeth, straining against the restraints. I shook my head and glanced over my shoulder and looked at Jasper, "Always the hard way, huh?"

He snorted, "Every fucking time."

Turning back to the Cullen, "Last chance, why are you here?" When he still refused to answer, I snorted, called him a stubborn fuck, and brought the hammer down again in the center of his forearm, breaking and shattering it beyond repair. Grabbing a leg, I tossed it in front of him, "Shall I make you a gimp as well? Answer my fucking question or you will never walk again." When he just continued to glare, I shrugged and readied to shatter his foot too when he called out to wait. Pausing with the hammer above my head, "why are you here?"

He pursed his lips and looked at the floor, "Recon. Since Alice never came back from Italy, someone had to keep an eye on things."

I cocked a brow at him and didn't even attempt to hide my shock at this, "and they chose you?"

He tried to shrug, I think, before looking up at me, "I am the only one that would have been strong enough to fight my way out if necessary."

I snorted, "and that worked out so well, don't you think?"

"It would have if Jasper was where he was supposed to be."

I set the hammer on my shoulder again, "Now we're getting somewhere. Where was Jasper supposed to be?"

He looked over at Jasper and looked away again when he saw the look on the Major's face. After a short pause, that I sped up by moving the hammer back into position, "dead. Jasper was supposed to be dead. When Jasper sided with you before you ever went to Italy, Alice called, told us that Bella was changed, that she was still alive and all we needed to do was get rid of a few hurdles and everything would be fine, that Edward didn't fuck everything up completely by being a retard."

Keeping the hammer in position, I cocked a brow, "fuck what up?"

He pressed his lips together hard and looked away. I gave him to the count of three before I brought the hammer down on his right foot, snapping his attention back to me and my toy. I was glaring as I yanked the hammer head out of the ground, "I ain't fucking around anymore. Start talking and tell me everything you and your little band of fairy fucks are up to, or I turn you into fucking rubble. The choice is yours."

He looked at me then looked at the dust that was once his foot as it began to settle. He bared his teeth at me and I snapped mine right back at him before calling out, "Toss me his arm, Sugar."

I heard her jump in her seat a little, but she got up and trotted over to where I left them before. "Hand side or bicep?"

"Dealer's choice." I twirled the hammer in my hand once and when she hollered 'head's up', I spun around, using the hammer as a bat and demolished the flying body part. I didn't even take the time to see which part of the arm it was before looking back at the gaping mouth vampire, "No? Not ready yet? I'm good with that." Turning back I cocked a brow at Izzy, who picked up the other half of the arm, and after setting up my swing, I hollered, "Pull" and swung at the other half when my mate threw it towards me.

Turning back to him, I got in his face, "You might think that this shit is a game but I'm here to tell you, it ain't. The body you're attached to, it belongs to me and I'm gonna want it back. You keep that mouth of yours closed, what the fuck is gonna be left of you to go back to when I finally get tired of this? I'm gonna tell you exactly how this shit is gonna end. It ends with your head buried in my fucking back yard for the next 500 years because it is going to be THAT long, AT LEAST before I get done with your little band of fucktards and they actually give enough of a fuck to make the attempt to even look for you.

"If you haven't figured this out for yourself yet, allow me to explain it to you. They ain't comin' to rescue you, to save you. They ain't about to risk their asses to save yours. Dog eat dog, only the strong survive, survival of the fittest. Thing about it, brainiac. If they gave a lick of a fuck about you, they would be storming my house, in the drones to take you back. They ain't comin' and I promise you, I ain't done. You wanna test me, Boy, and I will show you that what you think you know about Jasper is nothing but a bedtime story compared to what I am about to do to you."

Shoving the hammer head under his chin and lifting his face to look up at me, "Start talking or I take your head off that body and you can feel the pain as I render your pencil dick to dust."

He looked me in the eyes for ten seconds before he snapped his teeth at me, "You wouldn't dare. Do you have any idea what my mate is gonna do you your little whore when she get her hands on her for what you already did?"

I leaned in real close to him, the tips of our noses touching as a smirk pulled my lips apart, "Do you have any idea how hot it's gonna be to watch as my little Sugar tears her apart before I fuck the shit out of her on the ashes? Your pretty little princess ain't no match for a mortal dog let alone my combat trained mate." Getting a little closer and lowering my voice a little more, "Want to know something else? Your mate, your love and everything? She is already on the hunt for your replacement. You are nothing to her, to any of them. Just like my Sugar was as a HUMAN, you're expendable, replaceable, forgettable. They are leaving you to die while at the same time looking for a different way to get her back."

I stood back up at that, setting the hammer on the ground and using it as a cain again, "but don't simply take my word on the matter. Call 'em, ask 'em yourself."

He glared at me, "you shattered my hands."

Smacking myself on the forehead, "Oh, silly me." Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I flipped it open and put it on speaker, "What's the number? 1-800- Fuck- You, right?" Thumbing in the number to Carlisle's cell that I have had for years, I showed it to him, "This is right, yeah?" He nodded once and I hit send and we all listened to the operator say that the number was no longer in service. Hanging it up, I pursed my lips, "tough break there, Chief. Should we try another? I know, what's the princess's number. Bet she still has it, you know, just in case you survived this." I had to admit, the fucker looked upset and because I am the admitted asshole I am, "Awe, you looked crushed." His eyes snapped up to mine and I pretended to look sheepish, "Oh, too soon?"

He snarled at me, "asshole. I swear to god, when I get my hands on you..."

I looked around at the inch thick dust on the ground and on my shoes, and cut him off, "You'll do what, exactly; give me another load of laundry to do?" Laying it out on the line for him, "You are out of choices here, Big Guy. The only thing you can do is tell me what I want to know. Tell me on your own, or I make a phone call to someone who will actually answer and hand this here hammer to my girl over there and let her play 'beat the dick' after I take your head off that body. Either way, I am gonna get what I want but it would be in your better interest to give it up on your own cause my little Sugar ain't got the best aim."

I was consumed by 'Hey asshole over here' by Jasper turning my attention to him. He jerked his head a little telling me he wanted a word. So, giving a little shrug, I handed the hammer to Izzy with full permission to hit whatever she wanted with it and went over to Jasper. He leaned in and whispered to me, "he's broken. He'll answer you, but I know him well enough to know he is going to want something in return."

Looking over my shoulder at the vampire looking at all the dust from his body, "and I wonder what that could possibly be." Turning away from Jasper, I called out to him, "Alright there, Hopalong, how about a trade?" He looked over at me and cocked a brow making me smirk a little, "We each have something the other wants. So, I'll make you a deal." I went over to the bench that I had used to drill the hole in the neck of the torso and hopped up and took a seat, pulling my mate between my thighs and wrapping my arms around her waist, taking the hammer from her and setting it next to me, still in perfect reach.

When I was looking back at him, he narrowed his eyes a bit, "What kind of deal?"

I shrugged, "It's actually very simple. You tell me what I want to know, I will get you a brand spankin' new, completely intact, hulk lookin' body." Setting my chin on Izzy's head, I smirked a little wider, "Granted you still lost your mate and the prospect of getting laid for at least six months, but at least this body will have hands attached to it and not dust fragments that get into every single fucking thing." Then I lifted a hand and held up a finger, "But I want full disclosure. You leave out a single fucking detail and I smash what's little left of you and bury your head so deep they will find it in China."

The guy didn't even put up a fight as he laid it out for us. I mean, I didn't expect to have to fight hard, but I figured there would be a little negotiation in there somewhere. I honestly feel a little cheated. What the fuck kind of deal maker is this guy? Well, if he always takes the first deal presented, I pray to GOD I never get arrested with his ass.

"Carlisle met James years ago, before he ever sired Edward. They 'chummed' about, if you know what I mean?"

I snorted, "Yeah, we got it. Carlisle swings both ways, known that for years. Keep going." Edward might have been a technical virgin for the last however old his bitch ass is, but his sweet little ass ain't. The biggest thing about that that irritated me was they vehemently denied that shit... when I walked in on it. There is not shit wrong with any kind of lovin's in my opinion. It isn't my cup of tea, but hey, to each their own.

I turned my attention back to the big lug when he started talking again, "The whole thing with Bella started even before Edward said a single word to her. The day he came home from school and said he was leaving because of a human, Carlisle went ape shit. Edward left the house and the old man LOST it, saying that it was all Bella's fault that his boy was leaving and he wouldn't let that shit happen with no consequence."

Jasper cut him off, "THAT is what happened to the house?"

Emmett's head nodded, "Yeah, Carlisle had a hissy fit."

Jasper shook his head, "I fucking knew it."

Emmett made his borrowed body shrug, "Anyways, so, Edward left and Carlisle made a call to his old chum and sent them on the hunt for her, telling him that if it was swift, it would be worth it. Before James and them got to Forks though, Edward came back, telling Carlisle that he thought about it and decided that he was going to use her to boost his control over his blood lust.

"Carlisle thought that was the greatest idea since sliced bread, encouraging and pushing him to get as close to Bella as possible. Then Alice started having visions of the two of them getting closer and closer, eventually getting married and Edward turning her. It wasn't until just before her birthday that Alice had the 'BIG ONE' as she called it, a vision that was going to change everything and destroy all of us. She had a vision of Bella getting pregnant by Edward."

That shocked all of us into silence, well, all but my little Izzy of course. She whipped around and stared at me in absolute horror, "Ya'll can have babies?"

I was looking at Emmett wide eyed and slack jawed as I shook my head, "Not to my fucking knowledge."

He just shrugged, "It was because she was still human and apparently in heat when they fucked for the first time. Anyways, so, Alice tells us the only way that we would survive that was if it didn't happen, telling Edward to do whatever he had to, to have a reason to leave. So, he didn't feed before her birthday and made sure that his 'singer' spilt blood in front of him... and Jasper."

There was a snarl drawing all of our attention to the resident empath, "You have got to be fucking kidding me."

Emmett shook his head, "Nope. He forced his unfed blood lust on you, knowing that between the six of us, and the fact that she was his singer, it didn't matter how good your control was, you were gonna lose it and attack giving him the perfect out that couldn't be argued." Jasper growled again, but couldn't comment because Emmett started talking again, "So, since none of us was in the mood to take out one little human for knowing the secret, Edward asked Carlisle to get ahold of someone to do it for us. That was when he was told about the fact that he had already done that once and we had killed one of them."

Jasper cut in again, "Explain this one. Why did we kill hired hit men?"

He just shrugged again, "Most of us didn't know at the time and Carlisle didn't want to out himself as an asshole just yet. The only ones that knew at the time were Alice, Carlisle and Esme. That was actually the reason that you were told to leave the red head alone."

"How do you know that?"

"I over heard Carlisle and Alice working out the details before the meeting you called about it."

"How did you keep all this from Edward?"

"Same way we keep everything else. Come on, Jazz, you know that trick. You were the one that taught it to us. Anyways, so, we force you to attack Bella, Edward leaves her in the woods and re-hires Victoria to kill Bella in as little time as possible. He paid her half and told her that she would only get the rest when it was confirmed that Bella was dead and gone. She wasn't supposed to turn her, she was supposed to KILL her. Turning her didn't do shit for the fact that she knew about vampires while human, of who told her and showed her that it wasn't a lie. Everything she knew then was still able to be accessed, even if not by her."

That was when I jumped in, "Then why the fuck did Alice actually want to physically take her to Aro?"

"If she showed up with a Cullen, we could claim that she was part of our coven and therefore not be subject to punishment for breaking the law."

I nodded and thought about the next question but Izzy beat me to it, "Why did pint sized imp try and torch Jasper and Aro?"

He looked at her and cocked a brow, "That's about as obvious as you not having human memories. Aro was the only one that could prove what was being said was a lie and Jasper was conceived as the bigger threat in getting you away from Peter and back with us. When Alice went to Italy behind you, you two weren't mated yet and as long as that stayed true, we would still be able to separate you."

Then I asked my question, "Why did you ever think it was good idea to involve Maria in ANY thing?"

He pursed his lips at that and narrowed his eyes, "That one was all Alice. She knew what the bitch was like from all the talking and stories from Jasper when they first met up and that she would do just about anything to get her hands on you for taking Jasper in the first place. She set that shit up and told us to run right through her territory to leave a scent trail so you wouldn't deviate from going. Jasper wasn't supposed to be alive at that point so she agreed to hold you there until we got everything on our end together, than hand Bella over to us when we got there.

"Then everything went to shit. We were supposed to wait just south of the border for Alice to call and tell us when to go get Bella, but she never called. Rosalie went out and met up with one of the older vampires from the camp and found out that not only was Jasper still alive, Garrett was present as well, explaining why Carlisle couldn't get ahold of him. Then we went out hunting and crossed over a scent trail of a couple of Volturi guards which fucked up every contingency plan we had.

"So, Esme called it off, saying that no human, even one turned vamp, was worth the life of the members of the family. Carlisle however, disagreed and said that it was Bella's fault that we lost Edward and Alice to the Royal Guard and Peter's for losing Jasper. It went from redemption to revenge. I was sent to find you after we went to the camp and found out that you were taken by Aro and then found out that you were never on his plane when he went back to Italy. Carlisle told me to get on a computer and find you, then to get eyes on you to make sure you were where I figured you would be. Haven't seen or heard from them since."

I cocked a brow at him when he said that before glancing over at Jasper and saw him shaking his head a little, telling me what I already knew... he was lying about his involvement.

With a quiet sigh, I moved Izzy forward a little, sliding off the table and moved around to stand in front of her, picking her up by the hips and sitting her down where I was just seated. Giving her a small smile, I leaned in and whispered in her ear, "You stay right there, Sugar. Wouldn't want you to get in the middle of this."

Picking the sledgehammer back up, I turned back to the really stupid piece of shit. Smirking at him, "Yeah, I don't buy that. We hadn't been here all that long before you were caught; meaning you KNEW where we were going to be BEFORE we got here. Also, my little Sugar here was walking the property alone for part of it, far enough away from us for you to have grabbed her and ran before we would have been able to stop you, even gotten a fair distance with her before you were caught..." Bending at the waist, I locked eyes with him, "and you would have gotten caught." Moving over to the swinging torso, I turned back to him, setting the hammer head on the ground and leaning on it with both hands. "So, I suggest you cut the bull, right the fuck now, and tell the whole truth before I keep that promise about that sweet gherkin you call a cock and you feelin' it."

He looked a little offended at the prospect of being called a liar. Good. "What possible reason would I have to lie at this point?"

I shrugged, "maybe you are, maybe you're not." Tapping the hammer head against the floor a few times as I continued, "What you are doing, and that I can prove, is down playing. For the record, fucktard, it's the same fucking thing. Kind of comparable to omission. In your case, at this moment in time, omission IS lying and I believe we went over the consequences of that... more than once."

He just glared at me making me smirk a bit. Glancing at Jasper, I nodded at the stupid bastard telling I wanted his head once again removed. When Jasper took up residence behind him, wrapping his hands around it the only actual part of Emmett, Jasper looked at me, "I can always persuade him to talk."

I lifted the hammer from the ground and twirled it in a large circle. Reading my swing, I looked over and grinned at Jasper, "Oh, I know; but where's the fun in that?"

Before I swung the hammer, Emmett spoke to Jasper, "You were family, a coven mate. If you participate in this, you're only gonna be hurting yourself."

With the grip he had, Jasper pulled the head back and forced him to look in his eyes, "If that were true, then I earned the right to do whatever the fuck I wanna do to you because you knew that another member was out to kill me and did nothing." Changing his hold to the head's hair, he jerked the head to face my mate, "As did she. For a year she lived among us, as part of us. You stood aside, knowing that there was a plan in place for her death as well and once again, did nothing. For FIVE years, did nothing; allowing her to be hunted, tortured, mutilated and mauled to the point that when she was bitten, she lost everything; even her human looks far beyond what the change would do under normal circumstances because of what she endured at the hands of the psychopath your sire hired to kill her."

Pulling his hair again and forcing Emmett to once again look up at him, Jasper growled slightly as he continued, "even IF every word you said here tonight was true, your inactivity, your refusal to lift a finger, to simply open your fucking mouth and say something, makes you just as guilty as the rest of them. I have listened to every word you said, cataloged your every accusation while at the same time monitored your emotions. Most of your words were true, I'll not deny that. What wasn't... was your involvement and that it goes far beyond how you knew where we were. That was Alice, I ain't stupid, I know that much. I know that because I know you ain't that fucking smart."

Here he cocked a brow, "Wanna know what I think? I think you were a little chicken shit, to scared and worried to stand against your Sire, even knowing he was DEAD wrong in his actions because you didn't want to be alone. So you stayed your tongue, kept his secrets and kept your head down thinking that if you didn't watch his personally made shit storm, your nose would stay clean, that you wouldn't be accountable for this, that it wouldn't come back and bite you in the ass.

"Well, Emmett, it did and I can promise you, her teeth are just as sharp as ours, if not just a little sharper." Forcing him to once again look at my mate, "look at what your silence created, what your lack of action and care caused. Before you sits a 7 week old newborn with the capability of actually beating ME in fight. A 7 week old newborn that couldn't even tell you what her human name is for absolute certainty. An infant vampire that never had to know the horrors of our world had you opened that fucking mouth of yours and told me what was going on. You have never had any issues with telling everyone's business but this you CHOSE to keep to yourself like a fucking coward. You are just as responsible for every bite, for every scar that litters her body as the ones that put them there."

Forcing him to continue to look at Izzy, Jasper dipped his head and whispered in his ear, "There isn't an evil or malicious bone in your body, Em; I don't think you could be this overly large of a dick head if you actually tried. But you, what you are, is FAR worse. Dick heads are easy to figure out and deal with. Cowards one the other hand, cowards are not only useless in the darkened streets of our world, but worthless as well.

"In a time like these, where there are so few of us compared to when I was turned, we need to know that those we trust, that we rely on, are actually there when needed. Cowards don't fight when called upon, they run. Cowards don't have your back, they stab them in any attempt to save their own ass, as you have so wonderfully demonstrated for us tonight. Cowards hide behind others so they never have to face what they have done, what they allowed to happen.

"That girl, that baby right there before you, is the product of your cowardice, of your silence. Take a good, long look at her. See past the scars and past the mask and you will see the teen you once called your baby sister, claimed as your actual kin. Stare deep into those bright red eyes and you'll see the light of her once pure soul doused and extinguished forever all because you were a little fucking bitch.

"You knew damn well, and for YEARS that I would never allow the torture of a female of any race or breed. I could have, and would have, saved her from all of it without anyone knowing who it was that did it. Now here's the kicker, my REAL brother, the man that I owe my very life to, was the one meant to turn her and because of your silence he was denied that that, denied the simple pleasure of using his venom to turn his mate. Your silence took that away from him, took that very special bond that all males want with their mates.

"For what, I wander? Shelter, money, the pussy of a whore that gives it up to anyone for nothing? Face it, Emmett, they don't care about you. If you live or die, if they ever see you again. They don't give a fuck what happens to you as long as they stay alive. Your precious Rosalie, your so called mate, doesn't care which is why I am guessing she didn't put up any kind of fight when you were the one chosen for this suicide mission. I also think you already knew all of that, but, in an attempt to save your ass as you stare at the Devil come to Earth, you ratted them out out of revenge for sending you while leaving out everything you did, or didn't, do.

"So, for all your crimes, for all your cowardice, you deserve every last thing Peter did and is about to do to you for what you allowed to happen to his mate."

Then with the timing that had been perfected over the course of decades, Jasper twisted his wrist and I swung my hammer. The head coming off a mere moment before the head of the hammer connected with the torso, the only noise in the room the sound of gravel hitting the ground from where I obliterated the son of a bitch's remaining leg.

Once that was done and I felt he stewed in that pain for long enough, I told Jasper to put the head back on. This wasn't over yet. There was still one more question that needed answered before the last of my plans could be formed and put into motion. Depending on how he answered it, he would get his new body as promised. If I didn't like it, well, there are plenty of uses around the house for a random decapitated head. A door stop or decorative table topper for instance.

Once the head was reattached and the fucker shut the hell up, I looked him dead in the eyes, "How far are you willing to go for revenge and to earn your redemption?"


	30. Chapter 30

**Emmett's POV**

I felt really fucking weird at the moment. Never mind the fact that I just watched a stupid little prick smash my dick with a hammer, but just being attached to a body that was not mine was by far the strangest thing in the world.

I stayed locked in Peter's sights for a moment, thinking as fast as I could about the question presented to me.

 _How far would you go for revenge and to earn your redemption?_

It was a loaded question, I was sure. There were so many strings attached to that open ended question that I wasn't sure I didn't just want him to crush my head and get this the fuck over with, even knowing that that wasn't going to happen.

Breaking contact with Peter, I moved my eyes over to Bella... well I guess Izzy, and just looked at her; taking in all the changes to her and counting every visible bite mark I could see and knew there was more that I couldn't.

For the last five years, I had given this meeting more than a few thoughts, thinking of what I would say, what she would; if things were so destroyed that I lost my baby sis and if I would ever get her back. None of the planning and plotting ever sat all that well with me over the years, not against a human that literally had no way of defending herself.

But Jasper was right.

I wouldn't go as far as saying I was scared, but I was a little concerned that if I opened my mouth things would go tits up. That coven, that lifestyle is all I have ever known and I would have been a fool to risk losing it when I had nothing else.

Not so big a fool as to rat my own ass out to the one that mated her, though.

I wasn't innocent in this fuck up. I played my part too, and more than just what Jasper pointed out. I had a hand in this same as the rest and if I could get out of tell them everything, I might actually get out of this.

After a short pause, I looked back at Peter, "What do you need me to do?"

The light that lit deep in his black eyes was not friendly, by any stretch of the imagination. Jasper wasn't kidding when he referred to Peter as the Devil come to Earth. He was a sinister looking fucker right now and I was a little worried as to what I was about to have to do.

Peter tossed the hammer to the other side of the basement we were in, thank fuck, and crossed his arms, smirking nice and wide at me. Something tells me, I would prefer he still had the hammer.

"Tell me where the rest of them are. I'll find out regardless, rest assured. It's just in your better interest to tell me than forcing me to go through... other means."

I blinked at him, "Don't you want to know what they're up too instead?" Strange little bastard.

He wrinkled his nose and shook his head, flapping a dismissive hand in the air, "Doesn't matter. There is literally nothing they can do that I can't counter with no effort, whatsoever. I just want to know where to find them before they find us."

"But you were exactly where Alice said you would be."

His smirk grew just a little more at that, "See, thing about Alice is, she ain't all that and a bag of tater chips. She only knew where we were going to be because it was a choice before she was tied to Aro. The second we blow this stand, the only one that is gonna know is Aro and with the extremely soft spot he has for my Sugar, he ain't gonna be tellin' no one else. So, if you want that new body, answer the question. If you don't..." He shrugged, "ain't no skin off my ass to toss your head in the ocean."

So, the new body was still on the table? Didn't see that coming... AT ALL.

I looked at him for a minute more before sighing, "They are on their way to a compound in Nebraska. Carlisle called in every favor he had to get everyone he could there. Alice said there was two ways this would go, and both involved the need of witnesses, but she never said what they were for, only that we needed everyone."

Peter pursed his lips at that, his eyes narrowing. "Witnesses, you say? And you're positive the mutant midget never once said why?"

I shook my head, "not that I know of."

Peter looked at everyone in turn a moment before walking over to Bel... Izzy and grabbing her wrist, pulling her off the table and giving her a light push towards the steps, "be right behind you, Sugar. There should be a few bags of blood in the fridge. Grab something to eat to tide you over until we head out in a bit."

She glanced at him over her shoulder a moment before nodding and doing what he said. Once the door was closed he went over to the security system and push a button, changing the images on the screen to only one, a camera in the kitchen showing Izzy doing as she was told.

Once he was satisfied she was fine, he turned to Jasper, "Do you know where that is?" Jasper nodded once and Peter crossed his arms, leaning on the counsel, "Best guess?"

Jasper closed his eyes and rolled his head on his shoulders, "25, 30 maybe." Then he picked his head up, a smirk on his lips, "I got an idea, but you are probably not gonna like it."

Peter cocked a brow, "oh? And what would that be?"

Jasper's smirk grew and his eyes changed, a dark, evil light igniting that I have never seen before. "Do you like dogs?"

Oh... shit.

 **GPOV**

It was like watching a game of tennis when watching the Major and the Captain talking battle and war tactics. It was like they were speaking their own language and chances are, they probably were. For a very long time they only truly had each other to fall back on, to depend on when walking the paths of their lives. If either of them were off in their job, it was the other that suffered and when one of them suffer, they both do.

The bond that was shared between them went far beyond that of the sire/childe bond created upon creation. It even went beyond that of comrades and brothers. It was very nearly a bond of human twins. They shared pain, discontent, everything. It was fascinating to see two vampires that were from different times and from the horrific upbringing come together for one another with very little convincing.

I very nearly feel as if I should be both annoyed and angry over the turn of events in the last two months. I merely signed on as an added aid in raising a newborn. Nowhere in the discussion in Canada did it come up that I would once again have to be part of the southern wars, stand against a very old friend, even if he is a fucking moron, nor did I agree to this. But, I suppose that when you deal with Peter, anything can happen and that I did know.

Also, for as much bullshit as has happened over the last few weeks, I must be honest and say that I have not had this much fun in over a century. I suppose, when you are a war hardened vampire, a docile and mundane life of a nomad is nothing in comparison. I was raised in this life to know action, destruction and being a vagabond was overly boring and predictable.

Keeping your head down might keep you alive, but it doesn't let you live.

When Jasper brought up dogs, I was a little confused. What could that possibly have to do with anything?

I looked over at Peter when he snorted at the question. "Personally, Jazz, I prefer pussy."

Jasper looked up at the ceiling and shook his head, "dipshit." Looking back at Peter, "Remember the dogs I told you about. The ones that aren't really dogs?"

Peter cocked his head a bit and you knew the moment it clicked, "The mutts from down the street?" At Jasper's nod, Peter cocked a brow, "You would be in for it too, jackass."

Jasper shook his head, "trust me, no I won't. This was Carlisle's deal, not mine. Plus, I'm not a Cullen so therefor, I ain't subject to the treaty. Also trust me when I say Carlisle isn't collecting witnesses, he's collecting soldiers. All I'm sayin' is we should do the same." Jasper paused a moment before continuing, "I know that there was one of them that knows your girl and the second we tell him what happened to her, it's on like Donkey Kong."

Peter cocked a brow, "she won't know him."

Jasper shrugged, "won't matter."

Peter took a deep breath and let it out slowly, looking over his shoulder at the screen, watching his mate bustle around the kitchen a bit before looking back at Jasper, "make the call."

Oh... this should be fun.

 **JPOV**

That was surprisingly easier than I thought it was gonna be. I expected a bigger argument than that from him. I had no doubt that once the pack of dingbats were informed of Izzy's new status as a vampire and how it happened, they would be all over this like stink on shit. That Black kid at least. Carlisle had the roper with the tribal leader, but I had the girl, the proof that whatever the soon to be ashed sack of shit was a lying piece of shit.

Before I made that call though, Peter was already leaving the basement, heading up to the main house and his mate. My attention was turned to Emmett when he called out to Peter, asking about that new body. To which Peter responded, "I promised a new body, never said when. Deal with it."

I glanced back at Emmett and cocked my head to the side, "So, wanna tell me what you were so scared to tell him?" The head of someone that I once thought of as a very good friend snapped to look at me, the same fear in his eyes that as saturating his emotions shining nice and bright. I just smirked at him, "don't think for a moment I won't make you spill it. If it has to do with my brother or his mate, I will get it out of you, Em; one way or another. Peter might have gave his word but I didn't and a new body would be a little pointless without a head to go on it."

I walked over to him and crouched down, face to face, nose to nose, eyes to eyes. "That young lady, the one you used to see as a sister has suffered more than anyone ever should have, and survived it as a human. She lost everything. Peter thinks we are all monsters and I have yet to see him proved wrong and I am in no mood to be the first. He might have taken that hammer to your body but you didn't feel any of it but one thing. I'm not that nice. I'll take it to the one your head is ON and shatter you; joint by joint, bit by tiny fucking bit. Either you start talking and tell me god damn truth, every last detail of what you did, or you will never see daylight again."

I watched as his eyes widened and sparked with terror, pure and undiluted. I listened to the chains that bound him rattled as he shook with it, vibrated in petrification. I wasn't stupid. I knew that Peter knew he was holding back. I knew he wanted to know what wasn't being said, he just didn't want Izzy here to see it and he didn't want her to be alone for long right now. I knew all of this and had every intention of filling in those blanks.

Peter was great at getting information out of others, but he was driven by his emotions. If they ran too high, he lost sight of his goals. I didn't. I was used to being emotionally overloaded, bombarded with the weight of pain and torment. I could continue to work through it to get what I needed. Peter was by far more creative, but I was more efficient. When it came to the few that I actually cared about, I wouldn't stop until the one I was working over was broken, shattered beyond repair... and continue. I would keep going until I was positive that they said everything, spilt every secret they had, relevant or not.

An hour later, the door at the top of the steps opened again and Peter bounded down them, pausing at the site that met his eyes. I had unchained the body and it was now scattered all over the place, in over a hundred different pieces; the head replacing its old torso on the suspended chain.

After a moment of taking it in, he looked at me and crossed his arms, a wide smirk on his face, "Seriously?"

I just shrugged a little before looking him dead in the eyes, "call Aro. We're gonna need him."

 **PPOV**

The power Jasper had over others and what was in their minds, or getting it out anyways, would always baffle me. Just like I do to him when I already know most of it. The fact that the stupid fucker that was a Cullen left out his part told me far more than had he spilt the beans. He tried to make everyone else look guilty and him only gullible.

I didn't buy it at all.

Looking at Jasper and the mess he made of my workshop, I was as irritated as I was impressed. Chuckling a little, "I already did. He and a group of others are already on their way. They will be meeting up with us at my property in Utah. The plane is getting readied for flight as we speak." Turning away from the mess he made I snickered, "wheels up in two hours. I'm taking Izzy out to get a real meal and some clothes. You get to clean this fucking mess you made up."

I heard a groan and actually laughed out loud. Before I left the basement altogether, I glanced over my shoulder, "toss the head back in the hot box. It's coming with us."

Once Izzy was fed and I took her shopping, something that was nothing short of torture for the both of us, we just met Jasper and Garrett at the airstrip. It was easier and there was nothing that needed to be done at the ranch that those two couldn't handle as far as closing it up for an extended absence. We were only going two states over and I had every intention of returning here once all this bull shit was over with... if it ever was.

The first month of my girl's new life was, for the most part, exactly as I had envisioned for her; tame, relaxed and stress free for the most part. Then, in one day everything changed and turned into nothing short of a fucking nightmare. I never wanted this kind of existence for my Sugar, even before I ever thought of her as my mate. I wanted her to know boring and mundane... stress free basically and for the last few weeks, it was everything but.

I never wanted this kind of life for her, never wanted her to know the kind of pain and mental abuse that comes with it. I wanted to shield her from the horrors of our world, and if I really put my mind to it, I still could. However, at the same time, for every option I had in doing so, it wouldn't do anything productive.

I could hide her from the world, hide her from the ones that are after her, but then... what kind of life for her would that really be? Always running, always hiding, never getting to settle down for long enough to kick her heels up and relax.

No, this was gonna end. This was going to come to a very explosive end when I finally got my hands on the fucking Cullens. Aro wanted them alive, wanted to use them to set an example and prove that no one, not even close personal friends of the Ruling Line were above the law, above punishment. Well, I was gonna use them to prove that I wouldn't tolerate anyone, at ALL fucking with my girl.

Wonder who is gonna win that fight.


	31. Chapter 31

I was stretched out on the couch in the den, my head propped in my mate's lap, reading a book while she played with my hair, twisting it around her fingers and scraping her nails against my scalp. This was the kind of thing I could certainly get used to. While I am not really one for doing absolutely nothing, I could definitely get used to simply relaxing with my girl and... well doing absolutely nothing.

This was a break, a calm before the coming storm, I knew that. But what I was unsure of, was which storm it was. Was it the tornado that was just over two hours from from my front door or the hurricane that was brewing just over 500 miles from my front door and about to make landfall. Neither one was something I was looking forward to but both were going to happen and there was no stopping either. It wasn't even the vampires that had me on the verge of cringing, it was the dogs that Jasper called.

I knew that there was a little hostility between the mutts and the vegheads. I knew about the treaty between the two groups of morons. I knew that the pups hated our kind because of what they were, they did. They were the protectors of humans; we were the eaters of humans. There was going to be no common ground found other than my girl and that was only going to be one sided.

And that had nothing to do with my mate's lack of human memories.

From a very brief conversation with Jasper about the soon to be arriving pound puppies, it came out that one of them seemed to have a bit of a 'puppy love' crush on my little Sugar, something that I wasn't gonna entertain for even the briefest of moments. If the little fucker so much as looked at her with a spark of longing in his eyes, I was gonna rip them out of his fucking skull. I didn't rightly give a damn the reason it was there either. It didn't matter if it was the longing of what could have been, the loss of her human life, any fucking thing. It wouldn't fucking matter, I would END him.

I was jarred out of my thoughts by the sound of a ringing phone and then by my mate's perfect tits coming closer to my face. I know she was reaching for the phone, but when you are a guy and you have a set of boobs in your face, you capitalize on that shit. Waiting for just the right moment, which also happened to be when she flipped the phone open, I lifted my head and nipped at the perky peak, making her squeal and crush my phone in her surprise. How she didn't see it coming was as much a mystery as to why I actually let her try and answer the phone knowing that she was in no way in control of her strength. Mother fucker; I liked that phone.

Oh, well. I like the titty that was just in my mouth a little bit more.

Moving my eyes from the tit that was still in my sights, I saw Izzy wrinkle her nose as she turned her hand over and dropped the bits and pieces of the mobile device onto the floor before looking down at me with a bit of a sheepish look on her face, "Sorry."

I just shrugged a little as my other phone started to ring. Lifting my hips, I pulled it out of my pocket and smirked, "Don't worry about it. That one was yours." Glancing at the screen, I sighed a little before flipping it open, "So, ready to admit defeat and just ask where the fuck to go yet or you gonna continue to be an ass and try and find a reclusive nomadic vampire's place on your own?"

I could nearly hear the fucker's eyes roll to go along with the sigh, " _I will give credit where it is due, Captian. Not many can hide this well from my tracker_."

I chuckled a little, "Something to keep in mind for the future, Aro. If I don't want to be found, I won't be and your tracker will be about as useful as a pointy stick to a vampire. Now, do you need directions or do you want to continue driving in circles for a little bit longer?" After a ten second pause, he came back on with another sigh and asked how to get to my place making me chuckle again, "It's actually really simple. Stay on the road you're on for another twenty miles, take a right at the fork. You're gonna be on that road for thirty-three and a half miles. There will be a break in the tree on the left side of the road. That is the beginning of my drive. There is a gate seven miles in. I really hope you listened to me when I said you needed trucks of some kind because those cars low riding cars you insist on will never make it."

I was looking up at my girl, doing a little math in my head to get a time frame in which they were going to show up. I gave them about twenty minutes or so before Aro either called back or pushed the call button at the gate. I blinked though when I heard an unanticipated voice in the background of the conversation making me snort. Aro told me he was bringing his best, and I knew the fucker could fight and all, but I had never heard of Marcus leaving the Royal City. Caius, sure. He was actually hardly ever there unless he had to be for whatever reason, but Marcus... fuck no.

Before Aro could relay the question to me, I went ahead and answered it, "Tell the lazy asshole that I ain't running the Four Seasons and there ain't no room service here. Booze I got but if he wants to eat, he gonna be huntin' up his own damn dinner, dagnabbit."

There was a chuckle and I heard a growl but it didn't matter. Humans didn't know this place was here and it was gonna stay that way. Marcus was old and set in his ways, but the hunt and exercise would do him some fuckin' good. If my newborn mate hunted for herself, so was the eons old son of a bitch.

After I was sure they were on the right path of finding the place, I hung up and looked up at my girl but didn't get a word out before she snorted, "really? Dagnabbit? Just what the fuck is 'dagnabbit'?"

Looking a little affronted at the teasing tone she was using at my expense, I huffed, "Don't you be getting all entertained at the expense of my southern roots there, Sugar. That ain't cool."

She snorted again before outright laughing, "I was seriously asking what the hell that meant. I have never heard it before that I remember."

I shrugged a little, "Oh, it means pretty much whatever you want it too, Sug. In this case, I was simply watching my mouth and talking in a way that was a little more respectable to someone that used to be a man of the collar." She cocked her head to the side as confusion took over her features but before she could say something else, I jumped in with something a little more important that my choice of words and her amusement with it. "You sure you're alright with this, Sugar? This is your home and I don't want you gettin' all upset because of the amount of people that are fixin' to be here."

She just gave me a little shrug, "I gotta get used to this eventually right? Plus, I think I'm getting better at being around a larger group, don't you?"

I nodded at her, "Yes, but there is a massive difference between neutral ground and your own territory. Think about it, Sugar. You tried to kill Garrett for nearly a month back in Canada because you knew that was your home. The camp, the bars, things like that that you knew you had no claim to; this, this isn't the same. This is Canada all over again even if the scenery is different. Then there was the skittishness in Italy because you knew that was the territory of not only a very large coven, but a very powerful one as well, as you were in Mexico. It's all instinct, Mate and it will be your instinct to once again defend your territory."

She pursed her lips a little and glanced off to the side, "But, this is your territory, Peter."

I rolled my eyes at her before sitting up and pulling her to sit on my lap and turned her face so she was looking at me. "Remember the conversation back at the dealership when you were a week old when I told you what a mate was?" She nodded a little and I wrapped my arms around her waist, "A mate is a spouse in the eyes of our world making every last thing that was, is and will be mine, yours too. Every property that I own, every established area that I claimed as mine is just as much yours, if not more so.

"See, here's the thing Sugar. When I found you and decided to be the one to raise you, I knew what that entailed and that I would be giving up quite a bit of what I have to you when or if you struck out on your own."

She blinked at me before a look full of doubt settled on her face, "Really? Just like that?" I nodded at her and she cocked her brow a little, "why?"

I hummed a bit as I leaned back on the sofa and kicked my feet up on the coffee table. "Well, two reasons actually. The first is the obvious one and that is because you would need it to survive on your own. Even down and dirty nomads have a bank account and at least one credit card and one small spanse of land they claimed as theirs, all of which is normally set up by their sire. Since yours wasn't there and I took you in and overtook your care, that would have become my responsibility, if not my pleasure by the time you were deemed grown up enough to be set free on the world. Plus, you would have been so used to certain comforts that you wouldn't have lasted a day as nothing but a common vagabond.

"The other reason is that by the time that came about, we would have been in one place long enough for you too see that area as yours, even knowing that it was really mine, but it would have been all you knew. Sure, we would have left Canada for a warmer pastor, but that would have been where we stayed until you could live without the parental supervision. That would have been probably in the ballpark of eighteen, twenty months and by THAT time, you wouldn't have been able to just up and leave because you inner homing instinct would have been so attuned to that place, it would have led you back there every time.

"Knowing that, I would have given you the deeds to whatever property that we spent that length of time at, making it yours as well as setting up an account for you, stocks, bonds, CDs; set up your credit line and gotten your card. Set up a contact list of people to call if you ever got your ass in a jam and needed some help and for whatever reason couldn't get ahold of me. I would have made damn sure that you were set up in a life in which you had become accustomed to, that I had gotten you accustomed to.

"Now, since you're my mate, I am STILL gonna do all that. The only difference is I'm not giving you only the bare minimum, I'm giving you everything. All that I have is yours too. All of my different homes around the world, the money, the toys, the contacts, everything."

She looked up at me, a curious spark in her eyes, "toys?"

I dropped my head back against the headrest and looked up at the ceiling, tisking a little, "Well, let me think. There is the plane that you have seen more than once. Then there are the ATVs, four wheelers, boats, jet skis, bikes, cars, guns..."

"You have guns?"

I snorted a little and nodded. "Yes. I have a shit of them too. They really are a fantastic stress reliever." I saw excitement light up her eyes and I smirked at her, "tell ya what, once you are in better control of your strength, I'll show them to you. I happen to be very attached to some of them and I would get a little testy if you broke one. Sound like a deal, Sugar?" She gave me a bright smile and nodded just as there was a buzz throughout the house telling that Aro and them had found the place.

Shifting my hold on her so I was carrying her when I stood up, I went over the security screen to make sure it was them before hitting the gate release. Pushing the intercom button, I told them to take a right where there was a split in the drive unless they wanted to make the hike from the garage to the house.

Opening the front door, I carried my mate out to the porch to greet them. Setting her on her feet, I grabbed her shoulders and locked eyes with her, "If you start to get wound up, you let me know, ya hear? The last thing I want is for you to get upset at a bunch of perceived trespassers and attack someone."

I wasn't so much worried about the visiting vampires. She knew most of the ones that were coming. The dogs on the other hand, I didn't see that having a good outcome no matter how much preparation she had or how use to others she was. Her home was about to be invaded by a massive amount of bodies and it was going to be a really shitty afternoon once the mutts showed up; and it wasn't only my newborn mate that I was concerned about.

*X*

The convergence of werewolves and vampires was always something that I thought would be pretty fucking sweet... turns out it is a lot like Hollywood said it would be. Lots of growling, snarling, snapping and bitching. It was absolutely hysterical to watch as the huge, smelly ass guys blew their tops and try to go after Demetri and Felix. It was also funny watching the ones that didn't try and get them to calm the fuck back down and act like civilized human lookin' like creatures.

My favorite part... my snappy little Sugar kicking the shit out of the side of one of the smelly bastard's heads when he tried to attack Jasper.

She was currently squared off with the silver wolf who was backed up by a reddish looking one, kinda looked the little fucker rolled around in a pool of rust. The rust colored one looked like he wanted to attack but at the same time, you could see in his eyes, he was torn right down the middle of WHO he wanted to attack, my Sugar or his pack mate.

All eyes were on the two of them, the silver wolf and my mate as they growled at each other. The wolf was crouched and ready to pounce while Izzy was in perfect position to both dodge and counter whatever the fucker was thinking about doing.

Izzy dug her toes into the dirt and snarled at the wolf, "Bad doggy. Now, SIT."

I wasn't sure if it was the tone she spoke in or the words used, but I'll be damned if the fucker didn't rear back and nearly follow that command.

Izzy was probably the only one not shocked as hell at the action because all she did was continue to glare at the guy, teeth bared and eyes narrowed; her eyes void of all color as she stared him down. The wolf took a step back and just stared at her, his eyes full of both irritation and annoyance as Iz continued to stand her ground against him, something I am sure he wasn't used to.

Once Izzy settled down and the growling subsided a bit, she laid into him, "You are a long fucking way from home, Puppy dog. It might behoove you to remember that next time you get a little too big for them britches of yours. Not only do you lack home field advantage, you lack the numbers necessary to stand a fucking chance. You're a goddamn guest and I highly fucking suggest you act like it. I get it, you don't like us. Well, feeling is mutual you smelly ass fuckwit. You don't want to be here, leave. Ain't no skin off our asses if you stay or go. But, you wanna stay, you act like a fucking civilized fuckwit or I knock your fucking head off your fucking shoulders. You get me, Boy?"

The silver wolf bared his teeth at her with a growl, to which she gave the attitude right back. After a moment, Izzy's growl cut off completely and she stood, a lip curled and a look that I was having a little bit of a hard time deciphering until she sighed a little and glanced over at the wolves that had enough sense about them to stay human and cocked a brow, "Oh, for fuck's sake. Translation, if you would be so kind."

The leader of the pack glanced at the silver one a quick moment before looking at my mate, "what makes you think we know?"

She looked at him like he was an idiot. "Because I'm not a fucking retard, that's why. You're a giant wannabe dog, he's a giant wannabe dog. Two peas and all that. What I actually want to know is if the fucker is being an asshole... again."

The guy just smirked a little at that, "no. For once in his life, Paul isn't being a prick, Bella." She actually gagged a little at being called that, but the wolf either didn't notice or didn't care, because he just pressed on and answered her question. "He was talking of the treaty between our tribe and the Cullen coven."

She went to ask something else, the curious little bitch, but the rust color wolf started barking before she got the chance, which apparently annoyed the fuck out of her considering the look she shot him. If I had to guess, that one is the one that Jasper told me about. Izzy however, just glared at him, "don't make me neuter you. Interrupt me again, and I will rip your balls off... with my bare fucking hand." Keeping that glare on the dog a moment longer, she then turned back to the leader of the wolves. "Two things; one, NEVER call me Bella again. Call me whatever you want, but you call me that, I rip your tongue out. Hadn't you heard? Isabella Swan died in a plane crash two months ago. Not really one for reading are ya, Chief? Two, what the fuck are you talking about? What treaty?"

The leader locked eyes with her, "The one that says that the Cullens would never take a human life and we wouldn't rip them to shreds."

Izzy nodded but was unable to say anything before Jasper jumped in, "Um, no. It says that while living on the Olympic Peninsula, the Cullen coven wouldn't bite a human. Just in case your homing instinct is a little off, this is not, in anyway, part of the peninsula."

The leader looked over at Jasper at that and cocked a brow, "Then what are we doing here?"

At this, Jasper smirked a little and nodded at Izzy, "Her father is an honorary member of your tribe, is he not? Wouldn't that make the little lady one by extension?"

The guy blinked a few times before glancing at Iz a moment before looking back, "She is a parasite now."

Jasper shrugged, "Because the Cullens paid someone to kill her. She couldn't seem to get killing a human right so she bit her. Iz here is a 'parasite' through no fault of her own. She was just trying to live her life as best she could and was hunted and tortured for five years for it, then bitten when she survived a plane crash in the Canadian tundra." Then he looked at his nails, "Then there is the little issue of one of the Cullens drinking human blood while living on the peninsula."

"Excuse me?"

Jasper looked back up at him and nodded, "Yup. While most of the shit they pulled would actually fall within the lines of the text, Edward drank the little lady's blood while we were living in Forks. The act itself happened elsewhere, but there was still human blood in his belly when he got back."

Before anyone could say a word, my little short fused Sugar did, "I beg your fucking pardon, he did WHAT?"

Awe, I love my little demon when she gets all pissed off. Moving to her side, I set a hand on her shoulder drawing her attention to me. Her eyes were black and teeth a little barred again. Wonderful, she was fucking livid. "Calm down, Sugar. It was a long time ago. No need to get all upset about it now. Especially since you don't even remember it."

She shrugged my hand off her and whirled around with a snarl, "And that makes everything perfectly fucking alright, right? Because I don't remember it, it didn't happen? Fuck that. Fuck it the ass with a lack of lube." Then she turned those black eyes on Jasper, "and you let him." She shook her head a little before turning to the leader of the wolves, "and you did nothing about it."

There was a whimper sounding whine in her throat as her hands came up to her head, fingers threading through her hair as her eyes closed. She started nearly vibrating from trembling so hard before she dropped to her knees, her head dropping to her chest.

I went down to the ground with her, setting my hands over hers but looking at Jasper with wide eyes, "What the fuck is going on?"


	32. Chapter 32

_**Italics sections are from the original story from the mind of SM.**_

 **IPOV**

Flashes that made no sense flew across my eyes, ripping my skull apart in the process. I watched memories that I still had no connection to play out in painful detail and colors; like I was there again. Many of them were too short or moved too fast for me to even have a chance at understanding what I was seeing, but I knew what they were... kinda. Others were so slow I missed nothing, everything getting laid bare before me.

It was odd, it wasn't like I was seeing things through my old eyes. I was more of a spectator, watching from the window pane above the action as the scene unfolded, but I could FEEL, I could REMEMBER the time I watched from a distance. Christ, I looked like shit.

 _"Carlisle! Her hand!"_

 _"He bit her." Carlisle's voice was no longer calm, it was appalled._

 _I heard Edward catch his breath in horror._

 _"Edward, you have to do it." It was Alice's voice, close by my head. Cool fingers brushed at the wetness in my eyes._

 _"No!" he bellowed._

 _"It's your decision, Edward," Carlisle said. "Either way, I can't help you."_

 _I writhed in the grip of the fiery torture, the movement making the pain in my leg flare_ _sickeningly._

 _"Edward!" I screamed. I realized my eyes were closed again. I opened them, desperate to find his face. And I found him. Finally, I could see his perfect face, staring at me, twisted into a mask of indecision and pain._

 _"Alice, get me something to brace her leg!" Carlisle was bent over me, working on my_ _head. "Edward, you must do it now, or it will be too late."_

 _Edward's face was drawn. I watched his eyes as the doubt was suddenly replaced with a blazing determination. His jaw tightened. I felt his cool, strong fingers on my burning hand, locking it in place. Then his head bent over it, and his cold lips pressed against my skin._

 _At first the pain was worse. I screamed and thrashed against the cool hands that held me_ _back. I heard Alice's voice, trying to calm me. Something heavy held my leg to the floor, and Carlisle had my head locked in the vise of his stone arms. Then, slowly, my writhing calmed as my hand grew more and more numb. The fire was dulling, focusing into an ever-smaller point. I felt my consciousness slipping as the pain subsided. I was afraid to fall into the black waters again, afraid I would lose him in the darkness._

 _"Edward," I tried to say, but I couldn't hear my voice. They could hear me._

 _"He's right here, Bella."_

 _"Stay, Edward, stay with me…"_

 _"I will." His voice was somehow triumphant._

There was a nauseating blur of colors and next I knew I was in a hospital bed. I watched from the sidelines as my mousy human self began to come too, remembered the pain of the injuries. I rubbed my leg as a phantom burn ignited from my mind.

 _My hands were all twisted up with clear tubes, and something was taped across my face, under my nose. I lifted my hand to rip it off._

 _"No, you don't." And cool fingers caught my hand._

 _"Edward?" I turned my head slightly, and his exquisite face was just inches from mine, his chin resting on the edge of my pillow. I realized again that I was alive, this time with gratitude and elation. "Oh, Edward, I'm so sorry!"_

 _"Shhhh," he shushed me. "Everything's all right now."_

 _"What happened?" I couldn't remember clearly, and my mind rebelled against me as I tried to recall._

 _"I was almost too late. I could have been too late," he whispered, his voice tormented._

 _"I was so stupid, Edward. I thought he had my mom."_

 _"He tricked us all."_ It didn't escape me THIS time that he didn't discount my statement.

 _"I need to call Charlie and my mom," I realized through the haze._

 _"Alice called them. Renée is here — well, here in the hospital. She's getting something to eat right now."_

 _"She's here?" I tried to sit up, but the spinning in my head accelerated, and his hand pushed me gently down onto the pillows._

 _"She'll be back soon," he promised. "And you need to stay still."_

 _"But what did you tell her?" I panicked. I had no interest in being soothed. My mom was here and I was recovering from a vampire attack. "Why did you tell her I'm here?"_

 _"You fell down two flights of stairs and through a window." He paused. "You have to admit, it could happen."_ I hissed at that. That hawty mother fucker. Like he's so fucking perfect that he never had an accident. At least as a human I was smart enough to stay away from sick people, you son a bitch.

I crossed my arms and glared at the copper coated dick. Not paying attention to what was going on until Edward moved away and sat down, pretending to sleep. Lifting my eyes, I felt myself freeze, a soft and quiet whine coming out before I could stop it. I knew that face, I knew that scent, I knew HER.

I whimpered, "Mommy." I just stood there, taking in the concern and love on her face as she talked to my human memory, the words escaping me in my grieving. I missed her, I knew I did but I couldn't tell you how I lost her; I just knew I had. It wouldn't be long after this that I would lose her. I cried out when she stood and left, trying to call her back for just a little longer knowing without knowing that this was the last memory I had of her alive.

And now I knew who to blame for that.

It was a while later that I was able to once again hear the words in the room, bringing my attention back to my human self and the soon to be dead son of a bitch.

 _"I'll be the first to admit that I have no experience with relationships," I said. "But it just seems logical… a man and woman have to be somewhat equal… as in, one of them can't always be swooping in and saving the other one. They have to save each other equally."_

 _He folded his arms on the side of my bed and rested his chin on his arms. His expression was smooth, the anger reined in. Evidently he'd decided he wasn't angry with me. I hoped I'd get a chance to warn Alice before he caught up with her._

 _"You have saved me," he said quietly._

 _"I can't always be Lois Lane," I insisted. "I want to be Superman, too."_

 _"You don't know what you're asking." His voice was soft; he stared intently at the edge of the pillowcase._

 _"I think I do."_

 _"Bella, you don't know. I've had almost ninety years to think about this, and I'm still not sure."_

 _"Do you wish that Carlisle hadn't saved you?"_

 _"No, I don't wish that." He paused before continuing. "But my life was over. I wasn't giving anything up."_

 _"You are my life. You're the only thing it would hurt me to lose." I was getting better at this. It was easy to admit how much I needed him. He was very calm, though. Decided._

 _"I won't do it, Bella."_

Sliding up behind him, I lowered my voice, a dark whisper full of promise and pain, "I'll remind you that the road to hell is paved with good intentions right before I send you to the Devil himself."

I glared again at the distorted image as the colors around me began to fuzz over before I found myself in tree looking down at my human self and Edward once again, the second memory that I recalled with Peter the day I woke up. Funny, as I watched it play out in detail before me, I remember being a little more on the crushed, devastated side of upset. Seeing it now, I was ready to put my new found hunting ability to work.

 _Edward leaned against a tree and stared at me, his expression unreadable._

 _"Okay, let's talk," I said. It sounded braver than it felt._

 _He took a deep breath. "Bella, we're leaving."_

 _I took a deep breath, too. This was an acceptable option. I thought I was prepared. But I still had to ask._

 _"Why now? Another year—"_

 _"Bella, it's time. How much longer could we stay in Forks, after all? Carlisle can barely pass for thirty, and he's claiming thirty-three now. We'd have to start over soon regardless."_

 _His answer confused me. I thought the point of leaving was to let his family live in peace. Why did we have to leave if they were going? I stared at him, trying to understand what he meant._

 _He stared back coldly._

 _With a roll of nausea, I realized I'd misunderstood. "When you say we—," I whispered._

 _"I mean my family and myself." Each word separate and distinct._

 _I shook my head back and forth mechanically, trying to clear it. He waited without any sign of impatience. It took a few minutes before I could speak. "Okay," I said. "I'll come with you."_

 _"You can't, Bella. Where we're going… It's not the right place for you."_

 _"Where you are is the right place for me."_

 _"I'm no good for you, Bella."_

 _"Don't be ridiculous." I wanted to sound angry, but it just sounded like I was begging. "You're the very best part of my life."_

 _"My world is not for you," he said grimly._

 _"What happened with Jasper—that was nothing, Edward! Nothing!"_

 _"You're right," he agreed. "It was exactly what was to be expected."_

 _"You promised! In Phoenix, you promised that you would stay—"_

 _"As long as that was best for you," he interrupted to correct me._

 _"No! This is about my soul, isn't it?" I shouted, furious, the words exploding out of me—somehow it still sounded like a plea. "Carlisle told me about that, and I don't care, Edward. I don't care! You can have my soul. I don't want it without you—it's yours already!"_

 _He took a deep breath and stared, unseeingly, at the ground for a long moment. His mouth twisted the tiniest bit. When he finally looked up, his eyes were different, harder—like the liquid gold had frozen solid. "Bella, I don't want you to come with me." He spoke the words slowly and precisely, his cold eyes on my face, watching as I absorbed what he was really saying._

 _There was a pause as I repeated the words in my head a few times, sifting through them for their real intent._

 _"You… don't… want me?" I tried out the words, confused by the way they sounded, placed in that order._

 _"No."_

 _I stared, uncomprehending, into his eyes. He stared back without apology. His eyes were like_ _topaz—hard and clear and very deep. I felt like I could see into them for miles and miles, yet nowhere in their bottomless depths could I see a contradiction to the word he'd spoken._

 _"Well, that changes things." I was surprised by how calm and reasonable my voice sounded. It must be because I was so numb. I couldn't realize what he was telling me. It still didn't make any sense._

 _He looked away into the trees as he spoke again. "Of course, I'll always love you… in a way. But what happened the other night made me realize that it's time for a change. Because I'm… tired of pretending to be something I'm not, Bella. I am not human." He looked back, and the icy planes of his perfect face were not human. "I've let this go on much too long, and I'm sorry for that."_

 _"Don't." My voice was just a whisper now; awareness was beginning to seep through me, trickling like acid through my veins. "Don't do this."_

 _He just stared at me, and I could see from his eyes that my words were far too late. He already had._

 _"You're not good for me, Bella." He turned his earlier words around, and so I had no argument. How well I knew that I wasn't good enough for him._

 _I opened my mouth to say something, and then closed it again. He waited patiently, his face wiped clean of all emotion. I tried again. "If… that's what you want."_

 _He nodded once._

 _My whole body went numb. I couldn't feel anything below the neck._

 _"I would like to ask one favor, though, if that's not too much," he said._

 _I wonder what he saw on my face, because something flickered across his own face in response. But, before I could identify it, he'd composed his features into the same serene mask._

 _"Anything," I vowed, my voice faintly stronger. As I watched, his frozen eyes melted. The gold became liquid again, molten, burning down into mine with an intensity that was overwhelming._

 _"Don't do anything reckless or stupid," he ordered, no longer detached. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"_

 _I nodded helplessly._

 _His eyes cooled, the distance returned. "I'm thinking of Charlie, of course. He needs you. Take care of yourself—for him."_

 _I nodded again. "I will," I whispered._

 _He seemed to relax just a little. "And I'll make you a promise in return," he said. "I promise that this will be the last time you'll see me. I won't come back. I won't put you through anything like this again. You can go on with your life without any more interference from me. It will be as if I'd never existed."_

 _My knees must have started to shake, because the trees were suddenly wobbling. I could hear the blood pounding faster than normal behind my ears. His voice sounded farther away._

 _He smiled gently. "Don't worry. You're human—your memory is no more than a sieve. Time heals all wounds for your kind."_

 _"And your memories?" I asked. It sounded like there was something stuck in my throat, like I was choking._

 _"Well"—he hesitated for a short second—"I won't forget. But my kind… we're very easily distracted." He smiled; the smile was tranquil and it did not touch his eyes. He took a step away from me. "That's everything, I suppose. We won't bother you again."_

Lips pulling back from my teeth, I didn't care that this was a memory, that it wasn't actually real and I was in my past. I dove from the branch I had been sitting on, missing him by inches as he vanished from my human eyes. With a snarl, I tore off after him, completely hell bent on ripping him to shreds, only for that to also be taken from me as I hit a clear glass wall, the edge of my human sight. I was bound by only what she could see, by what my mind could see; held back once again by my humanity in getting even, getting my vindication.

I pounded a fist on the edge of my subconscious, whether to break it or to release my anger, I didn't know, but I knew I was never doing that shit again. It fucking hurt.

Dropping to my knees, fingers in my hair, I screamed out, "You fucking coward! I will end you; if it's the last fucking thing I do, I will DESTROY you, you ass ramming passive aggressive little fucktard!"

Opening my eyes again, I was out of the woods, out of my memories, my coal black eyes staring into the worried red ones of Peter. I said nothing as I stared at them, watching the different tones swirling a dance of concern and confusion in the glossy depths. I didn't move a muscle, not a millimeter as I watched a cool understanding ignite as the liquid blood of his last meal congealed and solidified.

He knew... he knew I remembered. For once, things were on my side... I knew just where to find him. Whatever punishment I face, however much time I was giving in servitude to Aro for it, I would take and live it with a smile on my face as long I got to wipe the crooked one off his.

 **PPOV**

I am over a hundred and fifty years old, if you include my human years, but I couldn't remember a time that four minutes and thirty-seven seconds lasted that kind of eternity. It might have well as taken years for my mate to open her eyes again. As much as I wanted to feel relief to the fact that she did, the pure, raw, undiluted hatred, anger and sheer level of malice that was in the demonic black orbs looking at me held that off, beat it back with a bat of iron as I stared at her.

I couldn't blink, couldn't move as I realized what that was... her memories came back. I didn't know exactly which ones, but I could level a guess. That was the only thing that kept me from pulling her into my arms and never letting her go. I might not have been a part of the past she just saw, but she never really took her anger out on the one that deserved it. With the shit going on behind her eyes, I wasn't positive she wouldn't take a chunk out of my ass just because I was the closest person to her.

When she finally did speak, her voice was so dark, so deep, so shrouded in a growl that only a seasoned vet that had a LOT of newborn experience would understand her.

"He's dead."


	33. Chapter 33

**Jake's POV**

I can't understand why I'm surprised to see her like this; why it hurts to watch her defend THEM. I really should have known that she would sell out and become the one thing she said she never would. I really should have seen this coming, but somehow, I didn't.

Five years ago, when the first one destroyed her, she swore off their kind, damning every one of them to deepest pits of hell, and here she is, not just cozy with a murderous bastard, but she was one as well.

I hate her, despise her. She could have at least put a little effort into not killing humans and tried to at least be a moral parasite; be a little picky in her meal choices. I had shifted back into my human form while she was on her knees and, like everyone else, just stood there watching, waiting for her to get over the stupid shit and get back up.

I saw the look in her eyes when she finally opened them and for a moment, almost sagged in relief thinking that she was finally going to come to her senses and realize that what she was being forced to do was wrong and fix the problem by taking out the human killing fucker but she didn't. I felt my head get hot, my blood begin to boil again when she didn't pull away and act on that anger and horror in her eyes and tear that bastard to shreds.

I couldn't understand her when she spoke, but what she said didn't matter. She was still on her knees and completely still, still in that fucker's hold. My stomach revolted and my mouth ran on its own.

"Cut the bullshit and get up, ya fucking bitch."

I watched as her head slowly turned to face me, her eyes pits of black fire while the red eyes of the guy were red hot infernos. I felt everyone's eyes on me but I really didn't care. None of them scared me. Bella's eyes narrowed and her lips pulled further from her teeth. I just crossed my arms and met her glare head on.

"Don't fucking look at me like that. You sold the fuck out."

She growled at me, "I beg your pardon?" Well, she finally pulled away from the creep. She stood slowly and turned to face me, her demeanor completely on edge and coiled tighter than I would have thought possible for a dead body. "I did what? Sold out? I didn't do shit. I didn't ASK for this. I didn't go out of my way LOOKING for it. So, HOW, exactly, did I sell out when a cunt was paid to hunt me down and kill me, couldn't do it, so she crashed the plane I was on into the Canadian Tundra, and then, when I wouldn't die like good little human, she bit me. Tell me how the FUCK that was MY fault?"

When I didn't say anything for a minute, because I didn't know how this had come about, a wicked little grin came to her face, her eyes sparking with dark amusement. She chuckled a bit as she slowly floated across the ground towards me, that Peter guy a few steps behind her, his eye guarded and cautious, ready to intervene if he had to.

"You didn't know, yet you judge me. You hate me for what I am when really, it should be yourself you hate for letting it happen in first place. You want to kill me, rip me apart and burn my glittery ass before you piss on my ashes, right? You look at me now and compare me to who I used to be, who I will never be again. You see my bright red eyes and think of all the humans I sucked dry in hunger and thirst and just for fun." She smirked at me, six inches away and stood up on her tiptoes so she could get a better lock on my eyes, "You hate everything about me, but I can see it in your eyes, smell it in your blood... You STILL wanna fuck me."

There was a growl on the air, and POOF, Bella was no longer right in front of me, but giggling like a baby behind the male vampire that was glaring daggers of death at me. His eyes were no longer red but a black so dark I don't think that there was actually a name for it. Also, the mother fucker did not look that big a minute ago. Before I got the chance to say a word about how I wouldn't touch her with a ten foot pole, he spoke and it took more effort than I would like to admit not to show the fear it shot down my spine.

"Come near my mate and you will die, Pound Puppy."

Bella poked her out from behind his arm and actually stuck her tongue out at me. All the darkness from before was gone from her eyes, a childlike playfulness shining bright in the blood red pools. I was so shocked at the sudden change that the empath that used to run with the Cullens snorted, drawing my attention over to him.

"She's still a baby and susceptible to extreme mood swings. Also, I will only warn you once, she will never be the one you need to worry about."

Looking at him a minute longer, I turned back to Peter, who was still glaring at me, only now he had his arms crossed around Bella's shoulders and his chin on the top of her head, a very clear sign of who Jasper was referring to.

I just met his glare and with more bravado than I really had, "You don't scare me..." I saw his nose twitch as one brow slid up into his bangs, but I didn't make a noticeable pause, "and I wouldn't touch her will a ten foot fucking pole."

A very slow smirk came to his lips, growing until his teeth showed, "You a horrible liar, Boy; ya know that? Or maybe ya just forgot just how good a vampire's nose is. I can smell both fear running through ya blood and want floodin' your dick." Then he shrugged a little, amusement sparking in his eyes, "course, I don't blame ya. My girl here is walkin', talkin' sex. The key word ya gonna wanna keep in mind however, is MY girl. So, you either lose the stiffy 'bout to burst through your zipper or I rip it off."

In response to that, I said the first thing that came to mind, that happened to be a lie, without thinking about what was going to come from it. "Just keep in mind, I fucked her first."

I heard a surround sound of groans and a few facepalms before I felt pain exploding from my mouth and found myself staring at the sky.

 **Jasper POV**

Of all the stupid, retarded things I have ever heard one of the mutts say, that one certainly took the cake... and I was only fast enough to catch Izzy, leaving Peter to knock the prick into next week. Oh well, at least Peter has enough control over his strength not to knock his head completely off. I caught Izzy around the waist and twisted until her feet were off the ground before pumping a hefty dose of calm and lethargy into her so she didn't struggle or bite... more so she didn't bite.

Turning around, I was just in time to see Jake roll to his feet, his teeth bared like the dog he is, vibrating like a female sex toy as he stared at Peter, who was also crouched down from his landing after planting his foot in the mutt's mouth.

Peter was on a bended knee, one hand on the ground, the other clenching and unclenching at his side, his head ducked a bit, his bangs in his eye but even without SEEING his face, I knew what it looked like. One does not know Peter without knowing what his glare looks like. I took a moment to consider bringing this to an end and knocking the mutt out and making Peter chill, but then I glanced down at the forcibly subdued baby in my grasp and decided against it. It was probably for the better the pup got put in his place sooner rather than later because if Peter didn't deal with this now, well, Iz knew how to hold a grudge and she won't always have someone to hold her back.

I felt someone come up behind me and glanced over my shoulder and found the alpha mutt standing there with his arms crossed. "So, should we stop this now, or let them have it out?"

I shrugged a bit, "it's either dealt with now or later, but if it's later, there might not be anyone to pull Peter off your Beta."

His voice was a little indignant, "or vice versa."

I snorted hard at that, "No, I'm right. Your stupid ass little friend there not only insulted his mate, but is currently directly challenging him... in his territory. The pup has what, three maybe four years of fighting experience, probably none of which against an actual vampire, versus Peter and his over century of murder and destruction? No, Peter is gonna hand him his ass."

I turned my attention back to Peter and the little pound puppy reject when the mutt snarled. That was apparently the signal, because they both shot towards each other, Jake going a little high to be effective and Peter going low, sliding under the dog in a base slide before he twisted a little. I smirked as this little maneuver resurfaced in my mind. So, that's where she learned that shit, huh? I figured as much but confirmation is always nice. However, Izzy used that twist to spear me from behind whereas Peter used it only to recover a little before grabbing Jacob's ankle and, using his momentum, Peter jerked him around and flung him across the yard.

Now, Peter is fast, even by vampire standards, but I had no idea just how quick the fucker was when his temper got the best of him. I never saw him move, only kinda appear on the other side of the dog before he hit the ground and swing a round house to send Jake right back to where he started and then just sorta materialize standing over Jake's body. I couldn't understand why the mutt didn't shift but I also didn't care.

Peter reached down and wrapped a hand around his throat before lifting him up to his height. Now, Jake is kinda tall at 5'11, 6 feet, but Peter stands at 6'4, so in order to be eye to eye, Jake's feet were no longer on the ground. Peter's eye were already back to red but they were no less dark than when they were pitch black. His voice was also very calm, deceptive; "You listen real good now, you lying sack of shit. If you ever so much as even LOOK at my mate again, I will rip your fucking eyes out through the back of your skull and if you lie about my girl like that again, it will be the last thing you do. You either respect her or keep ya distance from her. She is MINE, and I don't take all that kindly to flea bitten little bastards talking filth about her. So, either you keep her out of your head and her name from your tongue, or I take them both, ya hear me, Boy?"

Without waiting for an answer to the clearly rhetorical question, Peter once again flung him like a rag doll, only this time, towards the rest of his pack, hitting with a pop before sliding to a stop at their feet. Peter then turned to the alpha behind me and glared at him, "collar and muzzle the fucker or he will get hurt. Jasper will show ya'll to the guest house."

I scoffed, "why me?"

He cocked a brow, "I'll drown the fucker in a toilet, that's why." After a parting glare at the one he was talking about, he held out an arm for Izzy to take and after a quick pause to tell the vampires to follow him, left me to deal with the dogs.

Asshole.


	34. Chapter 34

**PPOV**

After showing the other guests to where they could get cleaned up and comfortable, I took Iz to our wing of the house. After handling her through the door, I closed it and set my forehead on the wood, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath to try and calm down a bit. I can honestly say the only time in my life I have been this pissed off was when I was accused of a bunch of bullshit almost a century ago.

I felt little hands rubbing up and down my back, digging into my stone muscles, driving the tensen from the coils. Her voice was sweet as honey from the comb, "You know that shit wasn't true, right? I might not remember it, but I doubt that I was into bestiality as a human."

I snorted a little, "only dead bodies right?"

She giggled a little as she scraped her nails from the back of my neck to the waistband of my jeans, "I couldn't help it, necrophilia is a genuine medical disorder. Bestiality is just gross. Besides, from what little I remember, I never actually did anything with any dead body than yours." Then her fingers left my skin. prompting me to turn and lean my back against the door, seeing her with a contemplative look on her face and her arms crossed. After a minute or so, she cocked her head to the side, "Is not still considered that if both bodies are dead?"

I snorted a little and shook my head as I grabbed her hips and pulled her closer to me. Smiling down at her, "I doubt that whoever thought that shit up ever thought about that shit. I really don't think he knew just how close he was to figuring some seriously fucked up shit."

She wrinkled her nose, "so do you think that necrophiliacs are really just humans fucking vampires and would rather have someone thinking they're into corpses than to let out the secret?"

Chuckling, I shook my head, "I don't rightly give a fuck. The fact that you seem too..."

She scoffed at me before swatting at my chest and twisted out of my grip. I smirked at her and growled a little, making her look over her shoulder at me, her eyes a little wide at the sound. She blinked once before squealing and turning and darting away when I pushed myself off the door.

With a lustful growl, I took off after her, but the little thing decided to be a bitch and dodge every attempt to get my hands on her.

She's a playful little thing tonight.

But apparently the little people in my head wanted to laid too because they told me exactly what to do to work around her little preservation shit and finally tackle her to the floor. Locking both her hands in one of mine and holding them above her head as I straddled her waist, I smirked at her, "I win. What's my prize?"

She giggled a little, but really did try and pout, "you cheated."

I shrugged a little as I dipped my head and nipped at her lip, "not my fault you bring out the naughty in me, Sugar."

Sealing my lips completely to hers, I repositioned myself to be settled between her thighs before gripping her thigh and hiking it up my hip. She moaned a little when I rolled against her, arching her back and pressing tighter against me. Already knowing that I was going to have to get her more clothes anyways, I just ripped her shirt off, not really caring about anything at the moment other than reestablishing my claim on her. There wasn't going to be a lot of fanfare this go 'round, not after that fucking mutt.

True or untrue, the phrase circled my mind, repeating over and over, festering into a cesspool of domination and anger. I knew that shit was a lie but knowing that did nothing to soothe or calm my demon down. He looked out through my eyes at our mate, seeing the emotions in her eyes, that painted her face awash in desire and lust.

Keeping her restrained, I reached between us and, like her shirt, just ripped her jeans away, flinging them to the other side of the room before undoing my belt buckle and taking off my own jeans.

One thing I will say about my mate, she really likes it rough.

There was however a spark of irritation in her eyes when I destroyed her favorite pair of jeans.

With a smirk and a 'get over it', I lined myself up and, with a roll of my hips, I was seated nice and comfy, deep inside my mate. Her head went back and her unneeded breath caught in her throat. She tugged at her hands and, if she really wanted to, she could break the hold I had on her since she was still in all accounts stronger than I am, but she didn't pull free, just tugged and pulled until I gave into what she wanted and let her go and laces our fingers together.

As I rolled my hips against hers, soft sighs and moans of my name floated up and caressed my ears, doing wonders to soothe the beast within and lulling him back into a content stupor. Her ankles came up and locked behind my back, her back arching more from the action.

Because she was so much smaller than I was, I nearly had to bend in half when I dipped my head and kissed her again. I picked up my pace and force, her grip on my fingers tightened and those delightful little noises she was making grew in volume.

I knew when I hit that spot hidden deep inside her, her head snapped back and the girl damn near busted my eardrum. Looking down at her, my eyes locked on my mark on her neck when she turned her head to the side, her long brown hair slipping off her skin. For a moment, I tried to visualize her as a human, flushed with her pleasure, sweat coating her skin... I couldn't do it. I couldn't picture her with blood and human flesh. I didn't care. I had never been attracted to humans, never saw the allure of them that others did. I never played with my food so I didn't know about the heat and shit that others talked about. Humans break and there is no fun in breaking someone that doesn't actually stand a chance.

I felt her begin to flutter and clench around me and a growl began to grow in my chest at the strength of her walls, just another reason that sex with a human wouldn't do it for me. There is no way a human would squeeze tight enough to prevent me from pulling out all the way like my little Sugar does.

Three more thrusts and with a snarl, my teeth found my mark, sending us both off the cliff of ecstasy, her from the pleasurable pain and me from the grip she had and the taste of her sweet venom coating my tongue.

I rolled over, pulling my mate to stretch out on my chest and removed my teeth from her neck. Licking the slightly oozing mark a few times, I nuzzled it with my nose before just laying my head back on the floor and closing my eyes.

When I felt my mate looking at me, I cracked an eye open and lifted a brow in question, waiting for her to say whatever was on her mind. There was a little spark of something behind her red eyes that had me suppressing a smirk just because I knew how little actually went through any kind of brain to mouth filter.

"I have no problems with necrophilia."

I snorted a little and shook my head, "You're a strange little creature, know that?"

She giggled and smiled but right as she opened her mouth to say something, her head snapped to the side, facing the wall of windows that take up the entire west wall of the room. As her teeth pulled back from her lips and that sexy little growl of hers worked its way up her throat, I just sighed and dropped my head back with a groan.

Looks like that little break I was hoping for before the hurricane hit land just wasn't going to happen. I cannot wait to see the look on Aro's face when they show up, too.


	35. Chapter 35

"Hot damn woman. You know, if you don't knock that shit off, we gonna get caught with our pants down... literally."

She slowly turned her head to face me, a picture perfect look of incredibility on her face. Her mouth went lax and she blinked before she cocked her head to the side. Her voice was slow and a little confused, "I'm putting on my boots." I cocked a brow at her and she blinked again before she squeaked, shooting to a standing position and whirling around, covering her glorious ass with her little hands. "Peter, you fucking pervert!"

I crossed my arms and smirked at her, "tell me how I'm the pervert when you're the one that bent over like that in a skirt that hardly covers you standing."

"You're the one that said it was too long when I bought it and tore the fuck out of it."

I was still waiting for her to explain how that shit made me anything besides a man. The girl had a spectacular ass, of which I was extremely fond of, and wanting to see it didn't make me a pervert, it made me a male vampire.

Instead of explaining that to her, again, I simply shook my head and crooked a finger at her as I picked up a hairbrush and ponytail holder. She was getting better at getting dressed but she still snapped the rubber band every single time. After putting her hair up, I ran my fingers through mine, deciding to put it up as well. Shit gets in my eyes and I like my hair to much to ever consider cutting it off. Yeah, it'll grow back in like fifty years but that was beside the point. I keep flesh out of my teeth and my nails filed, that was just about the extent of my personal hygiene.

After I finished helping Izzy get dressed, we left our room and headed to the kitchen. I needed to feed my girl but with the sun still up for a few more hours, and not having that much time until the fun started, I figured that she could just deal with a few bags and I would take care of the need to hunt later.

After digging around in the 'fridge for a few minutes, I slid the glass across the counter to her and leaned against it as she took a drink, smirking a little as she wrinkled her nose a bit. She smacked her lips a few times, running her tongue across the roof of her mouth to get the taste off it before she looked at me, "what the fuck is this?"

"A bloody Mary."

She snorted a little, "oh Jesus."

I winked at her and pushed off the counter and made to hunt down Jasper, "drunk up, Sugar. Blood and vodka does a vampire body good. I gotta go talk to Jasper right quick, then we need to have a little sit down with the pound puppies."

She looked at me over the brim of the glass a second, swallowing the drink before giving me a serious look, "can we do it outside? They fucking stink and it will take literally forever to get the smell out of here."

I smirked a little, "it will snow in hell before the dogs come in this house. I plan on just burning the guest house after they leave."

She raised her glass with a nod of approval and I left her to eat and headed off to the downstairs west wing where Jasper and Garrett claimed as theirs for the stay and knocked on Jasper's door. Without waiting for him to give permission to enter, I went on in and blinked a little at the sight, cocking my head a little as it registered just what I was seeing.

Leaning on the door frame, I smirked, "Little distracted there, you two?"

Jasper froze and his head whipped around while the chick he was with turned her face away from the door, like if I couldn't see her face, I wouldn't know who it was. The fact that I took an empath off guard was enough to tell me it had been just a LITTLE too long since Jasper had gotten laid.

Running my thumb nail across my eyebrow, I chuckled and pointed at Jasper, "Demetri is going to kick your ass. However, for now, we have bigger issues that you fucking someone else's girl. Get some pants on and meet me by the pool." As I turned to leave the two, I glanced over my shoulder again, "Heidi, be a doll and keep Izzy company for a few minutes. She's in the kitchen."

Ten minutes later, I tossed a beer over my shoulder as Jasper walked up behind me. I heard him catch it and pop the top as I took another hit off my cigarette.

"When did you start smoking again?"

I shrugged, "Mexico. It also has the added benefit of masking the stench of dog coming from the guest house. Plus, Iz doesn't seem to mind so, whatever's whatever. Not like it's gonna kill me." I turned around and leaned back against the railing and cocked a brow at him, "really?"

He glared at me, "the choices were limited and the lust and shit right above my head was little much." I snickered and he took a drink of his beer before crossing his arms, "so what's up?"

I nodded behind me, "hurricane is making landfall, that's what up."

He looked out behind me and cocked his head to the side, "how long?"

"An hour, maybe less. I'll give credit where it's due; they got some balls. And they have numbers."

Looking back at me, he cocked a brow, "odds?"

Taking a long drink of my beer, I shrugged, "four to one or so. We got two choices at the moment. We can let them make it all the way here and have home field advantage or we can meet them head on in a valley about a twenty minute run from here. If we let them come here, my house gets fucked up. If we meet them there, we run the risk of humans hearing shit they shouldn't."

Jasper gave me a look that told me he knew why I was having a really hard time coming to grips with this house falling to a vampire war. It was the very first one that I ever built and I was a little attached to it. However, the perks of this being my own territory, I knew every square inch of it giving us an edge against the coming bullshit.

Heaving a sigh, I glared over my shoulder a little. There wasn't really a choice to be made here. In the valley there is a nature trail that humans were very fond of and I can always rebuild my house.

"So, Captain; how we gonna play this?"

Finishing my beer and crushing the can in my hand, I looked at him through my lashes, "cat and mouse?"

Jasper smirked a little and finished his beer as well, tossing the empty can into the trash bin, "here kitty, kitty."

*X*

Kicking in the front door to the guest house, I whistled high and loud, smirking at the following crashes throughout the house. I never was one to let a sleeping dog lie.

"Rise and shine, Pups. It's adoption day and there's a lot of perspective owners acomin'."

The first one to make an appearance was the alpha and he looked a little irritated with me. The others followed in quick order, the last one being the one I really wanted to see go home with Satan; Jacob.

Rolling my eyes, I jerked my head, "take a dip in the pool out back and wake the fuck up. Debriefing in ten minutes."

I turned on my heel and left them to do whatever it is that semi-humans do when they get the shit scared out of them when woken up and headed back to the main house.

The dogs joined us promptly ten minutes later, everyone soaking fucking wet and smelling to high fucking heaven. Izzy was the only one that didn't care enough to not be rude; she gagged out loud before covering her nose and sneezing out a hard puff of air from her lungs before cutting off her breathing altogether.

Paul, I think, gave her a hard look, "you smell too, Leach."

She didn't even look the slightest bit bothered by the name, just cocked a brow, "We smell like candy and cleaning products. You smell like a wet dog that rolled in vomit before going dumpster diving. Tell the fucking truth, which is worse?"

He went to open his mouth but paused a minute before closing it again. When you have your stench listed out like that, it takes away any argument over who smells worse apparently. He just crossed his arms and leaned against the side of the house and said nothing else to her.

Sighing and shaking my head, I turned to the mutts, "I need two volunteers."

The alpha cocked a brow at me, "for what?"

I shook my head, "top secret. Only the bravest ones need apply."

"I will not allow you to endanger anyone in my pack."

I snorted and cocked a brow at him, "news flash, dipshit. You did that by bringing them here and the others already know of your presence. You either do this shit my way, or you die. Which one is it going to be? Are you ready to knock on doors and tell the parents of the little ones here that you ignored your role as protector and allowed the kidlets to die all because you didn't listen to someone that knows just a little more about vampires than you do? I have been one for a long ass time, I know how we work, what makes us tick. You have been a doggie for what, seven years or so and only really had any dealing with a coven of rejects and a couple of nomads. This isn't a game, this is real and if you don't learn to heel a little, you're gonna get hurt."

He glared at me a little, "that's not the point..."

I cut him off, "that is the exact point. And I have no problem beating that into your skull with a rolled up newspaper. Now, are you gonna be a good boy and heel or are we gonna have a training session?" When he said nothing else, I looked at the rest on them, "Now, about those volunteers?"

The mutts looked at each other for a minute before Paul and another one raised his hand. I wasn't not even slightly surprised that Paul raised his hand but the other one was a little shocking.

I cocked my head to the side, "and you are?"

"Jared."

I nodded, "Alright then. You two sure you wanna do this?" When they both nodded, I held out a hand to my mate and when she took it, I pulled her to stand in front of me, "Then listen up really good now cause I am only gonna explain this once."

 **IPOV**

I looked up at Peter, leaning into his palm as he cupped my cheek, "you be careful, Sugar, and follow your instincts."

I nodded at him and smiled, "This is gonna be so much fun."

He snorted and kissed my forehead. Pulling back with a smirk, "g'on now. I'll see ya soon."

I smiled at him again as I pulled away and, just because it was funny, I tapped my calf and whistled, "come on guys, let's go."

The looks in their eyes made me giggle, but they got up and after shaking out their fur, took off after me as I tore off in the direction of the brewing storm. The orders were simple enough; get them to follow us to where we wanted them. In all accounts, this was probably the easiest thing I have had to do to date. The vampires wanted me either dead or on their side and in order to make that happen, they would have to give chase and catch me. That was what the wolves were for, added protection against capture.

Personally, other than the smell, the dogs weren't really all that bad. The one that called me a whore aside of course; he really sucked, but Paul seemed pretty cool to me. I like the no bullshit attitude and he certainly had that shit in spades.

I lept over logs and swung from branches as the silver and brown wolves bobbed and weaved like they were made of water and not flesh and bone as they navigated the thick forest that we were running through. Cutting a hard right, I base slid under the fallen tree as the wolves used it as a springboard, landing in front of me and taking the lead for a minute before I launched myself over them, flipping in the air and once again leading the way to where we were going.

It was about a half hour run and the doggies were tiring out a bit. They would have a chance to rest for a few minutes as long as we made it to a certain point before the opposing forces. If we didn't, well, things could get a little hairy, easily dealt with, but a little hairy nonetheless.

When we reached the point of no return, I began to slow a little, not wanting them to hear us just yet. A little recon was needed before I fucked up their day.

Holding up my hand, I had the wolves back off a bit as I continued to the edge of the cliff. Leaping up into a tree to use the leaves as added coverage, I went as far out as I dared before crouching down and looking into canyon, eyes narrowing as I took in the forces coming our way. Well, would you look at that. Aro is gonna be pissed.

Smirking a little, I strained my hearing a bit so I could hear what was being said, barely swallowing the bark of laughter when I heard them arguing about which way to go. Seems they only knew the general area of Peter's compound, not its exact location.

Fucking morons.

Standing up on the branch I was on when I figured out the reason for this little mission, I backed off the branch and dropped to the ground, landing lightly and noiselessly. Slipping back to where the wolves could see me, I silently asked if they were ready to go. Once they were one their feet and crouched down, I nodded and went back to the cliff's edge.

Bringing both pinkies to my lips and curling my tongue behind my teeth, I blew a loud and high pitched whistle, wiggling my fingers a little at them when every set of eyes looked to the sound. "Run, run, run as fast as you can. Can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man."

Blowing them all a kiss before giving the Cullens the finger, I twisted on my toes and darted towards the wolves, "let's go boys. Time for the real fun to start." I think they laughed, or chuckled, or something, not really sure but I knew they were going to enjoy this. As we got back into the forest, I took to the trees and called down to them, "Remember, we have to get back before you get to kill anyone." I heard a distinct whine that I knew was a sad noise so I sighed, "Fine, ya big baby. Feel free to maim but we don't have the extra time for the kill, got it?"

There was an answering happy sounding yip and I rolled my eyes; dogs.

 **PPOV**

While my mate was playing with the little bitches, Jasper and I were working with the other doggies on how to properly deal with a vampire. They were quick enough studies for us to feel alright when the tingles hit my neck and Jasper turned to the forest where my mate and the two dogs were going to be coming out of.

I cocked a brow when I heard her laughter bounce off the trees and the sounds of howls and barks. I glanced at Jasper when the sounds of tearing vampire flesh reached our ears before my mate called out, "Catch!"

Out of nowhere, a head comes flying out of the trees right before the silver wolf broke the tree line, leaping into the air and catching the flying body part in his mouth, my mate's giggles following right after with a 'good boy, Fido."

When Izzy and the brown wolf broke the line, I blinked at them. They had dirt and sticks and leaves stuck in their hair. Izzy was absolutely filthy but her face was elated and eyes bright.

She looked at me and her face lit the rest of the way up before she took the arm that was in her hand and threw it over hand with another fetch command, this time the brown wolf taking off after it and catching it mid air as my mate ran over to, then past me, saying, "You're up slugger." Before turning and whistling to the wolves that she had apparently decided she wanted as pets.

Mother fucker.

I glanced over my shoulder as she led the bastards into the main house followed shortly thereafter by glass shattering and a screech of, 'sweet Jesus. Cover yourselves for Christ's sake."

The fuck?

Giving my head a shake, I turned back to the tree line where I could now sense the stupid bastards that apparently thought they had a chance in hell.

Well kiddies, let the games begin.


	36. Chapter 36

It was almost instant. The moment my mate and her new pets came out of the house, the group of vampires broke the tree line. I found myself once again not envying Jasper when certain people came into view. The shock that had to have shot through the Italians at seeing a few of theirs standing opposite them had to be low blow. I glanced at Aro and the look on his face was one of absolute murder. I don't think there was ever a time in his very long life that he has been that pissed off.

Of course, mutiny never bodes well for the stupid bastards.

Edward and Alice stood at the head of the masses, Carlisle and Esme to one side and Maria and Rosalie on the other side with looks of contempt and amusement on their faces. It was gonna be a fucking blast wiping those looks off here in a minute.

Aro snarled a little but made no moves as to attack out of the blind rage he was feeling. One does not run an entire race by letting emotions cloud his judgment. But he was pissed as all fuck.

I grabbed the scruff of the closest wolf that my mate adopted and pulled his head down to mine, "You stick close to my mate, yeah?"

Paul looked at me out of the corner of his eye and gave me a little nod before looking at Jared and barking at him, getting a sharp nod in return.

I then looked at my mate but she only seemed to have eyes for Edward. They were completely black orbs, no white to be found. Her lips were pulled from her teeth and there was a growl in her chest that made her nearly vibrate from the sheer strength of it. Behind her glossy eyes I saw memory after memory fly through them, every one stronger and every one pissing her off more as she watched them play over and over. She never told me what was resurfaced before and I never asked. I knew they were bad and that was all I needed to know.

If asked ten years from now what happened, I would never be able to tell anyone how we went from a stare down to war. One minute we were standing opposite each other and the next screams and ripping flesh rose up and gripped my ears.

There was also a certain understanding as to who was off limits and who was not. Jasper was clearly entitled to ending Maria as she was the one that tried to end him. Aro and his guards were clearly entitled to killing the ones of their own ranks. And Izzy was tunnel vision in her pursuit to getting her hands on Edward. I kept her in my line of sight for a time, keeping tabs on her and what she was doing.

She took every cut, every bite and gave it right back to anyone that was stupid enough to get in her way. Her two pets were right on her tail, covering her from behind and the sides as she forced her way through the throngs of newborns and century old bastards that chose the wrong side of the field. The difference between her and those that stood against her was she was well fed, they were not. She was barely two full months old and as such, was nearly unmatched in strength. Once I was positive that she was going to be fine, I turned my sights on the Cullen Elder who had set all this bullshit in motions years ago.

Taking the path of least resistance, I lept into the air, going over everyone in my way, landing in a crouch feet in front of my pray. Looking up at him from my position, I bared my teeth at him, relishing in the sight of the spark of fear in his eyes. I stood slowly as his hands came up in front of him and he took a half step back.

"Now, there must be a way to work out this little misunderstanding"

I growled at him and nodded my head, "there sure is, and it ends with you and your coven ashed."

Carlisle looked around him, looking for anyone that was stupid enough to get between us. When he saw no one coming to his aid, he turned back to me, "Now..."

I snapped my teeth at him, "time to die."

I shot from my spot and the fight was on.

 **IPOV**

This was so much different than Mexico. These fuckers were so much more bitey than I was used to but I was numb to it, I didn't feel it. Teeth and claws tore at my skin as I ripped everyone in my path apart. This was it, the moment I have been waiting for, the vindication I needed to feel whole once again. Everything I remembered and everything that was still out of my grasp told me that this was right, that this was what I was looking for as I scoured the globe as a human. Now, I was finally able to get my revenge on the piece of shit that took everything and everyone from me. Peter blamed Carlisle, I blamed Edward and he would pay. If I died today, it would be alright with me as long as HE WENT FIRST.

It was like Moses came back from the dead and parted the seas because where I couldn't see, there he was. With a snarl, I called out, "Paul!" There was an answering bark before my foot came down on his nose and with a toss of his head, I was soaring over the distance that separated us. Turning a flip in the air, I dove to the ground and hit my target as he tried to dodge the bullet that was aimed for his chest.

I collided with him and we slammed into the ground with earth shattering impact. We bounced and tumbled about, all teeth and claws, tearing at each other, ripping bits and chunks of flesh from the other. I dug my foot into the earth and stopped my movement while he slid along a few more feet before he rolled out and to his feet.

I bared my teeth and snarled, "You son of a bitch. I have but one thing to say to you before I send you to hell to dance in the fire with Satan. It was because YOU were weak, because YOU were NOTHING, because YOU were not good enough that YOU are going to die today. I have made my peace with the devil, time for you to do the same."

He actually had the balls to smirk at me, a slight chuckle in his throat, "You're just a girl. You can't do shit on your own."

I smirked, "that a fact? Then tell me why I am whole, and you're not."

He blinked before looking away from me. Idiot; rule number one, never turn your back on your enemy.

Growling again, I dove at him again, taking him back to his back about the same time my puppies got to us and ran interference on the little fuckers that wanted a piece of me. They would have their turn, but not until this mother fucker was nothing but dust in the wind.

Once again we were tearing at each other as the scent of burning venom reached my nose. I sent a quick prayer that none of the firewood was Peter before giving myself completely over to the fight I was locked in.

We tore each other to shreds but I was better trained than he was, used to fighting dirty and with missing body parts. He apparently, was not. I felt the heat from the flames and found myself just wanting this to end so I used my newborn strength to my advantage. Pulling away from him, I grabbed him by the hair on the top of his head and with everything I had, pulled my arm back and punched in right in the fucking nose, letting go of his hair and watched him fly... right into the wall of flames.

I stood there panting for unneeded breath for a moment, a smile coming to my face as his screams reached my ears. I held the stump I hit him with to my chest a for a second as I basked in the glory of my kill before darting back into the fray, bending down and grabbing my hand on my way, and reattaching it as I ran. There was a little pixy that I still needed to deal with before I could finally be at peace.

Sadly, my new doggies took her out as she tried to save Edward. Oh well, I guess I did promise them they could kill whoever they wanted once we got back

 **PPOV**

Looking over my property less than an hour later, I had my arms crossed as they twitched from the new bite marks that littered my skin, a sour look on my face. I already planned on the guest house getting knocked down but the main house... not so fucking much.

I glanced over my shoulder where my mate was waiting for her right forearm to reattach, giggling with her pets and having a drink. For as much as she got fucked up and for as much pain as I knew she was in having had those kind of injuries before, she was a happy little bitch. That was one thing I absolutely loved about her, she never really let anything get to her anymore. She got what she wanted and she was the one that made it happen. She got her revenge and she was elated by it. She made a few new friends that seemed to no longer mind the scent of a vampire, at least not her anyways, and from the sounds of it, she really wanted to keep them.

Sorry Sugar, ain't gonna happen.

For the odds we faced, we only lost one person on our side and I cannot say I was really all that surprised. Santiago was a little bitch, as I have said before, so I ain't gonna mourn him and can't actually think of anyone that will.

Turning back to my house, I glared a little more and growled slightly. It was gonna take me FOREVER to fix this.

"It is just a house, Captain. It can be fixed."

I grunted, "I am aware. That does not, however, take away the irritation of having to fix it, Aro." Shaking my head, I dropped it back on my shoulders and glared at the sky, "I knew this shit was gonna happen."

He chuckled as he came to stand next to me, "than you should not be surprised by it."

I glared at him out of the corner of my eye, "talking to me in logical terms... not a wise move at the moment."

"Oh, get over it, Petey." I looked at my mate that was still holding her arm in place, and cocked a brow at her. She just cocked one back, "which is more important, your house being in more than one piece" then she lifted her arm, "or me being in more than one piece? It's a fucking house, get over it."

I narrowed my eyes at her and she gave me the finger before turning back to her conversation like none of that ever happened. Giving my head a small shake, I looked back at Aro, "so, you heading home?"

He scratched his temple and shrugged, "I do not know, actually. Seeing one too many of my guards on the field today, I am uncertain if I want to go home before I have a plan in place of weeding out those that might get it in their heads to do this in Italy. Perhaps it is time for an extended vacation."

I snorted, "sounds like a fucking plan." Then I smirked a little, "I hear there is a nice little island that just came on the market. Might be worth checking out."

He snorted hard, "perhaps you are right about that."

With one more look at my house, I sighed before turning to the crowd that was lounging around, "Alright, we got twenty minutes to get this shit cleaned up before the humans show up because of the smoke. Let's get that done and get the fuck out of here."

Fifteen minutes later, we were off the property just as the sounds of sirens could be heard in the distance.


	37. Chapter 37

**Six months later...**

 **PPOV**

"God damn it, Izzy! Get your tiny ass in here."

I heard a giggle and turned around and glared at my mate when she poked her head around the corner, "problem?"

Giving her a flat look, I pointed to the shredded remains of my couch and waited for her to explain what the fuck happened this time. Over the last few months, my girl had made leaps and bounds getting her strength and temper under control but there were times that she still snapped over tiny little things and that usually ended in destruction. She still wasn't quite a full year old yet and I understood that, but for the love of fucking God, she was eight months old this shit was really starting to get on my damn nerves.

She looked at the couch and blinked a little, "I didn't do that. I broke the chair, Jasper and Garrett fucked up the couch."

I opened my mouth only to snap it shut again, and blinked a few times before trying again, "why?"

She shrugged, "they were fighting over the remote. Jasper wanted to watch the history channel and Garrett wanted to watch porn. I broke the chair trying to get out of their way. If you wanna get pissed off, get pissed off at them. I, for once, didn't do it this time."

I shook my head, "that's not what I meant. I meant why are they here?"

She shook her head, "fuck if I know. I didn't ask. They're out back if you wanna take your irritation out on the right targets. I'm getting a bath."

I watched after her a moment before shaking my head. I'll join her in a minute. First I had to get rid of some unwelcome house guests.

Walking through the house, I went out the back door and found the two little bastards sitting in lawn chairs smoking my cigars and drinking my aged whisky. I was gonna kill 'em.

"What the fuck?" They both turned to look at me and raised their glasses in hello. Oh, FUCK no. I crossed my arms and glared, "what, the fuck, are you doing here?"

Jasper shrugged a little, "my girl was getting on my nerves so I decided to take a little time away." Garrett nodded in agreement to the statement.

I smirked a little, "and they don't know where you are, do they?" When they shook their heads, I pulled out my phone and flipped it open, dialing a number that I only used once and crossed my arms again as I put the phone to my ear. Jasper looked over at me, his eyes a little narrowed and I gave him a shit eating grin when there was a light and cheerful voice in my ear.

" _Hello?"_

"Hey there, Darlin', it's Peter." Jasper glared at me and I winked at him.

" _Oh, hey! Did you get my message?_ " I didn't but she didn't need to know that.

"I did, Darlin'. I was just callin' to let you know that Jasper is in fact here and to be sure you let Brigitte know that Garrett's here too. She sounded awful upset."

There was an exhale on the other end of the line before a timid version of Jade's voice came over, " _would you mind if I came over. I think I did something but I don't know what it was. Jasper just growled at me and took off."_

I clicked my tongue a few times, "well, that wasn't very nice of him. I'll be sure to let Izzy know how he treated you while you make your way over, Darlin'." This was one of my mate's best friends. She was gonna crucify Jasper over this; probably Garrett too if he did what Jasper did.

The moment I mention bringing this to my girl's attention, both Jasper and Garrett lept to their feet, dropping their glasses and cigars to the ground. I cocked a brow at them and tilted my head to the side in challenge. They were either gonna leave or they were gonna deal with my still newborn mate. The choice was theirs and she could take both of them at this point, at the same time.

They were looked at a point above me and I turned to look over my shoulder at my mate, who was on the balcony off our room, her eyes black and narrowed. She had heard enough of the conversation to be pissed off but she wasn't out for blood yet, there was still white visible.

Jasper cleared his throat and held out his hand for the phone, which I hand over with a smirk. After a short conversation, he handed it back and he took off like a bat outta hell. I cocked a brow at Garrett, who dipped his head before he too took off. Smart little fuckers, aren't they? Putting the phone to my ear, I told Jade it was my pleasure and hung up before putting my phone away and just leaping up onto the balcony.

Izzy looked at me and cocked a brow, "what was going on?"

Smirking at her, I began to walk her backward into our room, pulling her shirt off over her head along the way, "nothin' Sugar."

As I dipped my head and racked my teeth across her neck, she choked out, "didn't sound like nothin'."

Pushing her into the wall before lifting her by the back of her thighs and wrapping her legs around my hips, I ran my lips up the column of her neck, "Don't worry about it, Sugar. They're gone and that is all I really care about."

After the that lovely little war, I took my mate and escaped the masses and vanished for a few months out into the middle of nowhere and told no one where we went. We had only been back to civilization for a couple of weeks and were already dealing with a bunch of bullshit and unwanted house guests. Izzy had made arrangements for her two beloved pets to come for a visit next week and Jasper and Garrett wasted like no time hunting us down and were only about an hour run from us now. I was steadfast in the demand that once the dogs leave, we are disappearing again; probably for good. She didn't like it, and had made the request to see her dogs every now and then, to which I gave in because I couldn't deny her anything, but other than that, I was telling no one and neither was she.

Turning my focus back to my mate, I slid my arms under her ass and carried her into the bathroom where she had a bath running. Turning the water off, I sat her down on the counter and pressed my lips to hers as I pulled her boots off and she went the easy way and just tore my button down open, giggling a little at the pings of the buttons hitting the ground, before she undid my belt and jeans, pushing them down my hips as I took the waist of her shorts and pulled them off her.

Kicking off my boots and jeans, I picked my mate back up and turned and stepped into the tub. Sitting down, my girl wrapped her arms around my neck and straddled my hips, my very excited cock between our stomachs. It wasn't very often that she was on top but when she was, hot damn is all that comes to mind.

She lifted herself up on her knees and, letting go of my neck with one arm, grabbed my member and lined us up before slowly sliding down my length, breaking our kiss as she gasped at the intrusion. Once we were hip to hip, she stilled for a moment to get used to the position before she began to roll slowly against me, twisting her hips every few strokes.

My eyes rolled up into the back of my head and i slid down the side of the tub a bit. Now, when you're 6'4, the only way to fit in a bathtub to have one custom built. This one was big enough for me to be completely flat on my back with room to spare. And that was exactly how I was... under water.

Izzy leaned back once I was completely flat and set her hands on my thighs, changing the angle and depth reached with each roll or twist of her hips. She took her time for once, no hurry in her pace, no care for anything other than enjoyment. I opened my eyes and looked up at her through the water and saw her lips slightly parted, eyes closed as she moved, the water amplifying her moans and sighs.

When she sped up a little, I slowly sat up, crossing my ankles and wrapping my arms around her and setting my forehead to hers. She opened her eyes and locked them on mine, her care and devotion shining like a beckon deep within the red pools of spilt blood, drops of crimson for me to follow, leading me to her, leading me home.

She bit her lip a little, an uncertainty sliding through her eyes before she pressed her lips to mine lightly. She never still her movements, never paused her stride. When she pulled back, that little spark was still there for a moment before it went out and a firm resolve hardened in its place.

"I love you."

I slid my fingers into her hair, not tugging, not pulling, just cradling her skull in the palm of my hand as I stared her in the eyes.

"Until the world comes to an end."

We made love in the tub for hours, long after the water went as cold as we were, staring into each other's eyes. I never would have guessed that after everything that I went through over the last 135 years; all the hate, all the murder, all the destruction and rivers of blood that I waded through and created, I would be here. A year ago I figured I would be still be alone and content. I can honestly say that this, blissfully happy and mated, I never saw that coming.


End file.
